Tyrese Maxey has been carrying a heavy load for the Sixers. Is it time to lighten it?

PHILADELPHIA — The admission came a little late during the locker room gathering of media in front of Sixers' star Tyrese Maxey's locker, but it came nonetheless.

Maxey had just logged 42 minutes in Tuesday's 116-110 loss to the Phoenix Suns, one night after putting 40 on his 25-year-old legs. He didn't look himself. There was an airball on an open three-pointer for his first shot of the game. His normal dribble-drives to the basket were halted, ending with kick-outs to a teammate. He missed his first five shots from the floor and threw a pass better suited for a fan in the front row than any of his teammates.

But, as always with Maxey, he kept grinding. He jumped into passing lanes at the defensive end, much like he did the night before against Indiana, which led to eight steals. His forays to the rim became mostly pull-up floaters, which just didn't have the same touch as normal. He wound up missing 18 of his 25 shots to get his 20 points.

In an 82-game season, these types of games are going to happen, whether you're Maxey, Steph Curry, Jalen Brunson, insert scoring guard here. But we just don't expect it from Maxey because neither does he, his coach or his teammates. So when the admission came, it made sense.

"I don't think it's physicality, I just think it's just more me, too. I think I'm a little bit tired."

It makes sense that he would be. Besides the boatload of playing time he was just given on consecutive nights, think about the circumstances surrounding his time on the floor.

Monday, Maxey learned that he was an All-Star starter for the Eastern Conference. It will be his second appearance at the game, but the first time as a starter. The glory and the attention given to that on Monday afternoon after the announcement was made surely had to be a little draining on the star guard, who then went out and collected 29 points, eight assists and those eight steals in the win over the Pacers. 

Tuesday — with no Joel Embiid or Paul George in the lineup against a Suns team that had won 11 of their past 15 — Maxey was just expected to do what he does: get those 30 points that he's averaging a game, open up the Phoenix defense with his outside marksmanship and make the offensive life easier for his teammates. Well, it just wasn't there. Tired legs can only carry a team so far.

"I'll be fine," said the alway upbeat Maxey. "Just bounce back. That's what I do. That's what I'm here for. I'll be just fine. Take a day off (Wednesday), get some treatment and I'll be back at it."

His admission of fatigue certainly isn't cause for alarm after one game, one time. But with the assigned rest that comes along with Embiid and George and the amount of time Maxey does consume, it warrants discussion by coach Nick Nurse and his staff.

For the season, Maxey is averaging 39.4 minutes a game, which currently leads the league. In the 40 games that he's played, he's gone over 40 minutes in 18 of them. Eight times this season, Maxey has played back-to-back games and he is averaging 40.6 minutes during those. When you consider the weapons on the team that aren't playing in those games and the load he has to carry, the tired thing is certainly real.

Tuesday it was so evident.

"They used a bunch of guys on him, they were super physical on him," said Nurse of Phoenix's defensive mindset. "He had a little bit of a cold shooting night, but they were physical and did a lot of switching, used a bunch of different guys on him, full-court pressure, all that kind of stuff."

That was just Nurse's description of Tuesday's action, but it could be the synopsis for the season, now and moving forward. Yes, the pressure and focus on him does let up a bit when Embiid and/or George are on the floor, but he has established himself as the player on the team that needs to be stopped, the head of the snake as many around the NBA like to say. Maxey will garner attention no matter what, and he'll be at a clear disadvantage if his legs are falling behind what his mind is telling him to do.

"I don't think it's about being more of the No. 1 than just trying to be out there every night," Maxey said. "I'm trying to be out there every night for my team. That's just who I am. That's just who I'm always going to be and fight through whatever is going on and just keep playing.

"In games like this, I know we need that scoring punch. It can come late sometimes, it can come early. But I know there's going to be a time in a game when we need it. I got easy, easy, easy looks tonight. Floaters, wide-open threes, layups. The ball didn't bounce my way tonight. It's all right."

It has to be. He is now the alpha dog. He is who all eyes turn to every single game. And as understandable as an off night, a tired night, can be for Maxey, well, there really is no rest for the weary on this team.

But perhaps his coach needs to find him a little bit, somehow, some way.

EDGECOMBE GETTING THROUGH

The halfway point of the season came and went on Monday when the Sixers defeated the visiting Indiana Pacers in their 41st game of the season. Following the game, which gave the team their 23rd win of the season, Nurse alluded to his satisfaction of where the team is, considering the amount of injuries they have dealt with and the fact that a rookie in VJ Edgecombe is getting so many important minutes.

"I think he's pretty good," said Nurse of the physical and mental status of his rookie. "I made the comment the other night to one of the assistants that it was game 41 and it's probably more than he played last year. We've got a few to go, yet. He's played great, obviously. I think the normal thing for these guys is to have some ups and downs just in the physical nature of the game, the number of games. You think some nights he doesn't have it but he's a little different that way. He plays some of these games like, low key and he's not really bringing it and then all of the sudden he's on the scene and late in the game he's still making plays."

Tuesday against Phoenix, Edgecombe was there all night, going for 25 points in 36 minutes of play.

"I'm embracing it," Edgecombe said of the grind of his rookie season. "I'm one of a few rookies that's playing 30 minutes (per game). Once I'm on the floor, I've just got to be productive."

FLEMING SHOWING HE BELONGS

Saint Joseph's product Rasheer Fleming, who played high school basketball at Camden High, is a reserve on coach Jordan Ott's Phoenix Suns team, and continues to earn the respect of his coach.

"He has the physicality, he has the length that we all crave at this level," said Ott. "So now it's getting him up to speed with how the NBA works, the routines of it all. The shooting piece is coming along, as it did in college. But athletically, to make the hustle plays, loose balls, get to places where not many people can in the NBA. He's done it right away in year one. Love his progress and he's going to continue to work to get better."

Villanova and Archbishop Wood product Collin Gillespie is already there. The 6-foot-1 guard is a mainstay in the Suns' starting lineup now and is averaging 13.4 points and 4.8 assists per game. He steadies a talented Phoenix lineup and has now started 24 of the 43 games he's played.

Tuesday, he collected 12 points, four rebounds and four assists, while draining three three-pointers in his 27 minutes.