{"id":14328,"date":"2025-07-16T17:56:15","date_gmt":"2025-07-16T17:56:15","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/14328\/"},"modified":"2025-07-16T17:56:15","modified_gmt":"2025-07-16T17:56:15","slug":"starting-5-july-16-edgecombe-ignites-sixers-playoff-race-in-vegas-heats-up","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/14328\/","title":{"rendered":"Starting 5, July 16: Edgecombe ignites Sixers, playoff race in Vegas heats up"},"content":{"rendered":"

<\/p>\n

VJ gets vertical in his Vegas debut.<\/p>\n

\"VJ<\/p>\n

5 STORIES IN TODAY\u2019S EDITION \ud83c\udfc0<\/p>\n

July 16, 2025<\/p>\n

Tuesday\u2019s Unbeatens: A pair of 2024 first-rounders go off, while OKC strikes again<\/p>\n

Tuesday Roundup: VJ debuts in Sixers win; Warriors, Knicks & Blazers get dubs<\/p>\n

Rookie Photoshoot: A first look at the 2025 Draft class in their new official threads<\/p>\n

Wednesday Watch List: Three squads eye 4-0 with all four semifinal spots still up for grabs<\/p>\n

Primetime Prospects: Edgecombe back in action, Ace vs. Tre & more must-see matchups<\/p>\n

BUT FIRST \u2026 \u23f0<\/p>\n

Day 7 in Vegas\u2026<\/p>\n

\"Wednesday<\/p>\n

Wednesday delivers another seven-game slate at NBA 2K26 Summer League, capped by a potential clash between the No. 5 and No. 6 picks as Ace Bailey & the Jazz face Tre Johnson & the Wizards (10 ET, ESPN<\/a>).<\/p>\n

The 2025 Nike EYBL Peach Jam<\/a> \u2013 featuring some of the top high school talent in the country \u2013 tips off today (12:30 ET) in North Augusta, S.C., with all the action exclusively on the NBA App, NBA TV & NBA YouTube.<\/p>\n

WNBA All-Star Participants<\/a>: Caitlin Clark, Sabrina Ionescu and Allisha Gray headline the participants in the Kia Skills Challenge and the Starry 3-Point Contest (Friday, 8 ET, ESPN). Clark will make her 3-point contest debut, while Gray will defend the title in both events.<\/p>\n

1. TUESDAY\u2019S UNBEATENS: RAPTORS, WOLVES & THUNDER MOVE TO 3-0<\/p>\n

\"Ja'Kobe<\/p>\n

Halfway through the NBA 2K26 Summer League in Vegas, nine teams remained unbeaten.<\/p>\n

Four of those squads took the floor Tuesday, all likely needing wins to stay in the Playoff hunt.<\/p>\n

And with the summer stakes rising, a pair of 2024 first-rounders delivered \u2013 while the defending champs did what they do best.<\/p>\n

Raptors 101, Nuggets 97: In a masterful two-way performance<\/a>, Toronto\u2019s 2024 No. 19 pick Ja\u2019Kobe Walter dropped 26 points on 8-of-16 shooting while tallying seven \u2013 yes, seven \u2013 steals, as the Raptors improved to 3-0. | Recap<\/a><\/p>\n

Game-Changer: Trailing in the 3rd quarter, the Raptors rattled off a 19-0 run to flip the game \u2013 then got an extra boost as Jamison Battle beat the buzzer<\/a> to send them into the 4th up 11
\nRim To Rim: 6-foot-11 sophomore Ulrich Chomche added to Toronto\u2019s highlight reel, elevating for a big block before running the floor and finding Collin Murray-Boyles (10 pts, 3 ast) with a nifty wraparound dime<\/a>
\nDenver Spotlight: Curtis Jones led the Nuggets with 20 points, while DaRon Holmes II added a double-double (10 pts, 11 reb)<\/p>\n

\"Terrence<\/p>\n

Garrett Ellwood\/NBAE via Getty Images<\/p>\n

Wolves 89, Pistons 73: In his third straight 20-piece, Terrence Shannon Jr. took over (24 pts, 5 reb, 3 ast, 2 stl) while Leonard Miller added 20 points and 8 boards to power the Wolves past the Pistons, pushing Minnesota to 3-0. | Recap<\/a><\/p>\n

First-Round Connection: Minnesota\u2019s No. 8 pick from 2024, Rob Dillingham, added 16 points and 4 dimes, including this big-time oop<\/a>to this year\u2019s No. 17 pick Joan Beringer
\nMotor City Engine: Ron Holland II shined for Detroit (22 pts, 6 reb, 6 stl), which fell to 2-1 with the loss<\/p>\n

\"Ajay<\/p>\n

Zach Beeker\/NBAE via Getty Images<\/p>\n

Thunder 92, Magic 75: Winning on both ends is nothing new for OKC, and Tuesday was no different for the 2025 NBA champs.<\/p>\n

The Thunder\u2019s defense held Orlando to just 32.2% from the field, while sophomores Ajay Mitchell (27 pts, 7 reb, 4 ast, 2 stl) and Brenden Carlson (23 pts, 7 reb, 2 blk) showed off their all-around games and Nikola Topi\u0107 added a game-high 6 dimes, improving OKC to 3-0. | Recap<\/a><\/p>\n

2. ROUNDUP: VJ DEBUTS IN SIXERS WIN; WARRIORS, KNICKS, BLAZERS GET Ws<\/p>\n

\"Ajay<\/p>\n

Logan Riely\/NBAE via Getty Images<\/p>\n

No. 3 pick VJ Edgecombe dazzled (28 pts, 10 reb, 4 ast, 2 blk) in his Summer League debut in Salt Lake City on July 5.<\/p>\n

But a thumb injury kept him sidelined for Philly\u2019s final two games in SLC and the first two games in Las Vegas.<\/p>\n

He was cleared to play on Tuesday night, and once again, made a strong impression<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Sixers 74, Wizards 58: Behind a combined 32 points from Justin Edwards (17 pts, 8 reb, 5 3pm) and Edgecombe (15 pts, 6 reb 4 ast, 3 stl), the Sixers defeated the Wizards for their first win in Las Vegas. | Recap<\/a><\/p>\n

Tale Of Two Halves: After going scoreless (0-for-7) in the 1st half, Edgecombe got rolling in the 2nd half, scoring all 15 of his points on 4-of-7 shooting, including this defense-to-offense sequence that VJ capped with an alley-oop dunk<\/a>
\nDouble-Double: Johni Broome\u00a0 \u2013 Philly\u2019s second-round pick out of Auburn \u2013 put up 14 points and 10 boards in the win while getting praise from his college coach<\/a>, Bruce Pearl, on the broadcast<\/p>\n

\"Jackson<\/p>\n

Warriors 96, Grizzlies 84: Both teams overcame 10+ point deficits before Golden State made the decisive run in the 4th quarter. After Memphis took a one-point lead with seven minutes left, the Warriors closed with a 25-12 burst to improve to 2-1 in Vegas. | Recap<\/a><\/p>\n

Dubs Trio: Jackson Rowe (14 pts, 6 reb, 2 stl, 2 blk) paced the Warriors, while Will Richard and Jaden Shackelford each added 12 points and two 3s in the win
\nGrizz Duo: Cam Spencer (game-high 23 pts) and Jaylen Wells (11 pts) each hit three 3s and connected on this crosscourt dime<\/a> from Wells to Cam for a triple<\/p>\n

Knicks 97, Nets 93: Tyler Kolek splashed five 3s on his way to 20 points in the 1st half, as he and MarJon Beauchamp each finished with 25 apiece<\/a> to power the Knicks past Drew Timme (24 pts, 10 reb) and the Nets for their first win. | Recap<\/a><\/p>\n

Blazers 93, Pelicans 87: Portland got a combined 44 points from Rayan Rupert (24 pts, 4 3pm) and D.J. Carton (20 pts, 5 reb, 5 ast) and another strong showing from rookie Yang Hansen (15 pts, 2 blk, 3 3pm<\/a>) to defeat the Pelicans and improve to 2-1 in Vegas. | Recap<\/a><\/p>\n

NOLA Standouts: First-round picks Derik Queen (17 pts, 10 reb) and Jeremiah Fears (14 pts, 2 stl) combined for 31 points, while Antonio Reeves led the Pelicans with 18 points<\/p>\n

3. ROOKIE PHOTO SHOOT: OUR FAVORITE FRAMES FROM DAY 1<\/p>\n

Welcome to picture day! Get an all-access look<\/a> as the 2025 NBA Draft class donned their new threads for Day 1 of the Rookie Photo Shoot from Las Vegas.<\/p>\n

\"Cooper<\/p>\n

Mavs: Cooper Flagg (1st overall) \/ Harry How\/NBAE via Getty Images<\/p>\n

\"<\/p>\n

Spurs: Dylan Harper (2nd) & Carter Bryant (14th) \/ Brian Babineau\/NBAE via Getty Images<\/p>\n

\"Kon<\/p>\n

Hornets: Kon Knueppel (4th) & Liam McNeeley (29th) \/ Brian Babineau\/NBAE via Getty Images<\/p>\n

\"Ace<\/p>\n

Jazz: Ace Bailey (5th) & Walter Clayton Jr. (18th) \/ Brian Babineau\/NBAE via Getty Images<\/p>\n

\"Jase<\/p>\n

Florida Squads: Jase Richardson (Magic, 25th) & Kasparas Jaku\u010dionis (Heat, 20th) \/ Brian Babineau & Candice Ward\/NBAE via Getty Images<\/p>\n

\"Asa<\/p>\n

From The East: Asa Newell (Hawks, 23rd) & Noa Essengue (Bulls, 12th) \/ Zach Barron\/NBAE via Getty Images<\/p>\n

\"Khaman<\/p>\n

To The West: Khaman Maluach (Suns, 10th) & Nique Clifford (Kings, 24th) \/ Harry How\/Getty Images<\/p>\n

\"Khaman<\/p>\n

Duke Teammates: Khaman Maluach (Suns), Tyrese Proctor (Cavs) and Cooper Flagg (Mavs) \/ Brian Babineau\/NBAE via Getty Images<\/p>\n

4. WEDNESDAY WATCH LIST: THREE 3-0 SQUADS IN ACTION TODAY<\/p>\n

\"Rob<\/p>\n

David Dow\/NBAE via Getty Images<\/p>\n

Four Playoff spots. Eight unbeaten teams. One big finish ahead.<\/p>\n

With all four tickets to Saturday\u2019s single-elimination semifinals still up for grabs, the pressure is on as teams get set for their fourth and final \u201cregular season\u201d game.<\/p>\n

And with head-to-head results, point differential and total points as the three first tiebreakers \u2013 every bucket counts.<\/p>\n

Kings vs. Cavaliers (3:30 ET, ESPN2): Sacramento will open Wednesday looking to become the first team to secure a 4-0 record, while Cleveland aims to extend its win streak to three.<\/p>\n

Kings Cooking: This year\u2019s No. 24 pick Nique Clifford (70.0 3P%) and 2024 Lottery pick Devin Carter (50.0 3P%) have powered Sac\u2019s hot start, each averaging 18.3 ppg and lighting it up from deep
\nTyson Takes Over: The Cavs\u2019 2024 first-rounder Jaylon Tyson (19.7 ppg, 6.7 apg) has impressed as a dual-threat playmaker \u2013 as he\u2019s one of three players averaging 15+ points and 6+ assists<\/p>\n

Suns vs. Wolves (5 ET, NBA TV): Next up, standout sophomores Terrence Shannon Jr. and Rob Dillingham are back in action after leading Minnesota to a win on Tuesday \u2014 with the Wolves eyeing a 4-0 start.<\/p>\n

Howling Wolves: Shannon Jr.\u2019s versatility has shined this summer (22.7 ppg, 6.0 rpg, 5.0 apg, 1.7 spg), while Dillingham\u2019s dynamic shot creation (15.3 ppg, 6.3 apg) has provided an instant jolt for Minnesota
\nLottery Look: Suns big man Khaman Maluach, the No. 10 pick, has flashed his inside potential \u2014 averaging 11.0 points, 5.0 rebounds, 1.0 steals and 1.0 blocks in Vegas<\/p>\n

\"Jeremiah<\/p>\n

Pelicans vs. Thunder (9:30 ET, ESPN+\/NBA TV): Led by second-year guards Ajay Mitchell (20.0 ppg) and Nikola Topi\u0107 (12.3 ppg, 7.3 apg), OKC looks to improve to 4-0 as it takes on Jeremiah Fears and a Pelicans squad stacked with young talent.<\/p>\n

Rookie Duo: This year\u2019s No. 7 pick, Fears has been in attack mode in Vegas, posting 14.3 ppg, while fellow lottery pick Deriq Queen (No. 13) is averaging a double-double (14.0 ppg, 11.0 rpg)
\nOKC Identity: After leading the NBA in defense last season, the Thunder have allowed just 80.3 ppg through three outings in Vegas<\/p>\n

5. MORE WEDNESDAY MATCHUPS: SUMMER STARS ON DECK<\/p>\n

\"Ace<\/p>\n

Bucks vs. Bulls (5:30 ET, ESPN2): 2024-25 Second Team All-Rookie Matas Buzelis put on a show in Monday\u2019s win over the Pacers (28 pts, 8-14 fg, 5 reb). Tonight, he\u2019s back for an encore as Chicago takes on Milwaukee.<\/p>\n

Young Bulls Balling: Buzelis ranks sixth in scoring (22.5 ppg) and combined with No. 12 pick Noa Essengue for 49 points Monday
\nBucks Spotlight: Three-year vet Chris Livingston has looked sharp for Milwaukee, coming off back-to-back 21-point outings<\/p>\n

Magic vs. Nets (7:30 ET, ESPN+\/NBA TV): After a 24-point, 10-rebound double-double on Tuesday, Drew Timme will look to stay hot as he leads the Nets against the Magic \u2013 with both teams seeking their first win.<\/p>\n

Brooklyn Big Balling: Averaging 25.3 ppg, Timme ranks second in scoring among all players in Vegas while shooting 55.4% and hauling in 8.0 rpg<\/p>\n

\"VJ<\/p>\n

Mavericks vs. 76ers (8 ET, ESPN): After missing Philly\u2019s first two games in Vegas, this year\u2019s No. 3 overall pick, VJ Edgecombe, was all over the court (15 pts, 6 reb, 4 ast, 3 stl) in Tuesday\u2019s win. Tonight, he\u2019ll look to take over again when the Sixers face the Mavs.<\/p>\n

Summer Splash: Edgecombe is averaging 21.5 ppg across his two Summer League games in Salt Lake City and Las Vegas, and has added 4 steals and 3 blocks on the defensive end
\nThe Nembhard Name: In Dallas\u2019 first outing without Cooper Flagg, it was Ryan Nembhard \u2013 younger brother of the Pacers\u2019 Andrew Nembhard \u2013 who led the way with 11 points and eight assists<\/p>\n

\"VJ<\/p>\n

Ethan Miller & Melissa Majchrza\/NBAE via Getty Images<\/p>\n

Wizards vs. Jazz (10 ET, ESPN): A sea of young talent floods the hardwood for this meeting, which could feature as many as nine different former first-round picks in addition to this summer\u2019s leading scorer.<\/p>\n

Bucket-Getters: It starts with a potential matchup between Utah\u2019s No. 5 pick Ace Bailey and Washington\u2019s No. 6 pick Tre Johnson \u2013 two pure scorers who are lethal from anywhere on the floor
\nFlip Feelin\u2019 It: Second-year big Kyle Filipowski is posting a Vegas-best 29.3 ppg for Utah, nearly doubling his production from last summer (16.4)
\nBlock Party: Alex Sarr has excelled as a shotblocker in Vegas. He\u2019s averaging 5.5 rejections in two games, including a Summer League single-game record eight blocks on Sunday<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"VJ gets vertical in his Vegas debut. 5 STORIES IN TODAY\u2019S EDITION \ud83c\udfc0 July 16, 2025 Tuesday\u2019s Unbeatens:…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":14329,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[64],"tags":[355,99,13760],"class_list":["post-14328","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-nba","tag-nba","tag-sports","tag-starting-5"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/14328","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=14328"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/14328\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/14329"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=14328"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=14328"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=14328"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}