Hornets vs 76ers: 21YO Rookie Tossed Out as Tyrese Maxey Suffers Nasty Blow in Philadelphia

The Charlotte Hornets are going head-to-head against the Philadelphia 76ers. The Hornets have had an abysmal season so far and are desperate to add some wins to their record. Their desperation was evident in tonight’s Sixers clash as Hornets rookie Brandon Miller went a little overboard during the game. While trying to get past Sixers star Tyrese Maxey during a play in the 3rd quarter, Miller delivered a nasty blow to Maxey’s face.

Maxey fell to the floor and covered his face in pain. The official immediately stopped the play and called an offensive foul on Miller. Upon further review, it was evident that Miller extended his arm and elbowed Maxey in the face. The foul got upgraded to a Flagrant 2 on Miller, and the rookie got ejected from the game. His night ended early as he finished the game with only 6 points and 2 rebounds in 15 minutes of play.

Philly fans erupted as Miller got booted from the game. His elbow shot caused Maxey’s nose to start bleeding profusely. The Sixers star had to be treated on the bench, and the medical staff used cotton plugs to control the bleeding. Fortunately, Maxey was not hurt severely and continued playing for the rest of the game.

With Miller’s ejection in tonight’s game, his abysmal scoring run continued. The rookie has struggled to get points on the board in the last few games. Miller scored only 14 points in yesterday’s loss against the Phoenix Suns. He had an abysmal shooting night against Kevin Durant and Co., going 4 of 15 from the field. Tonight, Miller made 3 of his 7 field goal attempts.

How has Brandon Miller’s first season in the NBA panned out yet?

Despite Brandon Miller’s recent struggles and tonight’s controversial ejection, he has had a decent rookie season. Miller was the 2nd pick in the 2023 NBA draft, and the Hornets had a lot of expectations from him. The 21-year-old has lived up to the expectations to some extent. Miller is averaging 16.6 points, 4.2 rebounds, and 2.4 assists in his rookie season. That is a great stat line, considering his game will only improve in the upcoming seasons.

Miller has not gotten much media attention because of stars like Victor Wembanyama and Chet Holmgren in his draft class. He also plays for a losing team that keeps him hidden from the limelight. However, the youngster has a bright future ahead if he continues to work on his game. The Hornets would want the rookie to stay away from on-court trouble, similar to what he got into tonight with Tyrese Maxey.

Read More: Tyrese Maxey Reveals Conversation with Recovering Joel Embiid