Philadelphia 76ers rookie VJ Edgecombe caught fire in the first half of Game 2 against the Boston Celtics.
In just his second career playoff game, Edgecombe scored 20 points in the opening half at TD Garden. The former Baylor standout had 16 points in the second quarter and went 4-for-6 from deep in the first half.
Edgecombe is the youngest player ever to record a playoff half with 20 or more points without a free throw attempt.
Despite taking a hard fall that caused him to head to the locker room in the first quarter, Edgecombe managed to play through pain to help lead the Sixers to a pivotal Game 2 victory.
Edgecombe, 20, finished the game with a game-high 30 points and 10 rebounds. It is the first playoff double-double of his young career.
Edgecombe is the first Sixers rookie since 1962 to record 30+ points and 10+ rebounds in a playoff game.
VJ Maxx Duo Shines in Game 2
Sixers stars Tyrese Maxey and VJ Edgecombe recently starred in a campaign with clothing giant TJ Maxx. The duo apparently brought the swagger to the court, too, as they helped Philly even up the series against the Celtics.
“This is who we are,” Maxey said postgame. “Game 1 was not who we are.”
In Game 1, the Sixers’ offense looked anemic, as they managed just 91 points. In Game 2, Philly was much more efficient.
Philly shot 48 percent from beyond the arc and connected on 19 three-pointers overall. In Game 1, the team shot just 17 percent from deep.
Maxey and Edgecombe combined for 59 points. They each recorded two steals.
Edgecombe is the first rookie with at least 30 points and 10 rebounds in a playoff game since Tim Duncan did so in May 1998.
Despite the early injury, Edgecombe looked virtually unstoppable. He shot the ball with confidence and frequently attacked the rim. His two-way ability was on full display, too, as he recorded several crucial stops on Celtics stars Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown.
Sixers Head Back to Philly With Series Tie
For the Sixers, it was a successful trip to Boston, as they managed to steal one on the road.
Even with former MVP Joel Embiid sidelined, the short-handed Sixers were able to challenge the Celtics at TD Garden.
Their defensive rotations and rim protection were a vast improvement from Game 1, which fueled the Sixers road victory.
Now, the team heads back to Philly with a chance to take the series lead at home.
Game 3 will be held on Friday, April 24, at Xfinity Mobile Arena in Philadelphia. The game will be live-streamed on Prime Video.
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