Sixers Tie Series With Celtics After Historic Performance From V.J. Edgecombe

V.J. Edgecombe became the fifth-youngest player to score 30 or more points in a playoff game in the Philadelphia 76ers’ victory over the Boston Celtics.

The 76ers defeated the Celtics 111-97. This tied their playoff series at one win for each team. 

Edgecombe scored 30 points and grabbed 10 rebounds. At 20 years old, Edgecombe is one of the youngest players to score 30 or more in a playoff game. The only players who did it at a younger age are Derrick Rose, Brandon Jennings, Tyler Herro and Anthony Edwards. Rose and Herro also scored 30 or more against the Celtics.

Edgecombe also surpassed Magic Johnson as the youngest player to score 30 or more points and grab 10 or more rebounds. Johnson scored 42 points and 15 rebounds against the 76ers in the 1980 NBA Finals to clinch the Los Angeles Lakers’ championship. Johnson was 20 during the 1980 NBA Finals. Johnson famously had to play center in this game because Kareem Abdul-Jabbar was injured and missed it. 

Although Edgecombe stole the headlines, other 76ers had strong performances as well. Paul George scored 19 points in the 76ers victory. 

The Celtics got a good performance from their star duo. Jaylen Brown scored 36 points, and Jayson Tatum nearly got a triple-double with 19 points, 14 rebounds and nine assists. Despite a good game from the Jays duo of Brown and Tatum, the Celtics didn’t get much contribution from their support pieces. 

76ers center Joel Embiid is currently out after an emergency appendectomy. This procedure removes the appendix from the patient due to inflammation or rupture. Toronto Raptors forward OG Anunoby missed the entire 2019 playoffs after an appendectomy. However, he had a rupture while Embiid only had inflammation, so the 76ers currently believe that Embiid will return sometime this season.