Now that All-Star Weekend is over, Tyrese Maxey is ready to lead Sixers for rest of season

NBA All-Star Weekend may have not been able to go any better for Sixers guard Tyrese Maxey, capped Sunday with his USA Stars winning the three-team round robin tournament at the Intuit Dome in Los Angeles.

Maxey led his team in the winning quarter over the USA Stripes team with nine points and three steals. For the day in his three quarters of play, Maxey finished with 15 points in 22 minutes, while shooting 7-for-15 from the floor, including 1-for-5 from three.

Though his quick elimination in the three-point contest on Saturday most likely didn't sit well with the USA's leading vote getter, Maxey said his goal was to go out to Los Angeles and get as much rest as possible when obligations didn't take him out of his hotel room.  

His desire to get his team back on track beginning Thursday against the Atlanta Hawks was primarily on his mind even though he was making his first-ever All-Star start.

"It's going to be a big push for us," Maxey said entering the break about the remaining 28 games. "We determine our own fate right now. I think we feel good. We're in a good position. It is what it is. We'll be alright. The break will be good for this team. Guys got to reset. Guys are tired. Guys are playing a lot of minutes. We've fought a lot in these 54 games. Guys have been out, guys have stepped up. The break will be good for us. Get guys healthy and get guys rejuvenated."

That is the hope, and for no one more so than Joel Embiid. The Sixers star center will have almost two full weeks from playing a game when the team resumes play at home against Atlanta. The team will still have to play 18 more games without suspended starter Paul George. And Maxey, who is averaging close to 39 minutes a game and will be counted on heavily for the remainder of the season, needs to be at full strength.

"I had to realize that some days I had to take off shooting in the gym," said Maxey, who is sixth in the league in scoring at 28.9 points a game. "Some days, I have to do more recovery, have to do more treatment, because I used to be like I thought I didn't need treatment, I thought I was Superman. You have to be on top of it. Your body is your temple. You only get one of these and you've got to protect it. 

"Now that I've gotten older, I take it a lot more serious. Getting treatment here, after games, at home. I just want to take care of my body. Sometimes less is more. Especially when you play a lot. You're going to get shots in, you're going to get reps in. When you're a worker, it's hard. It's hard. Sometimes, it's hard not to go to the gym when you want to go to the gym. But sometimes, it's better." 

It's the maturity of Maxey, both on and off the court, that will be instrumental in how his team finishes up the season.