VJ Edgecombe’s 25 points and clutch 3-pointer in OT helped the 76ers edge the Grizzlies on Tuesday night.<\/p>\n
The problem with the Philadelphia 76ers\u2019 \u201cBig Three\u201d seems to have more to do with designation than production.<\/p>\n
Broaden that silly label out to a \u201cBig Four,\u201d and the Sixers\u2019 world quickly begins to make more sense.<\/p>\n
For raw star power, lofty career achievements and staggering salaries committed, sure, Joel Embiid, Paul George and Tyrese Maxey are the three players around whom the roster is built. They\u2019re the lightning rods for most credit, criticism and expectations, too.<\/p>\n
And things hadn\u2019t been going well. That trio just 0-4 through Philadelphia\u2019s first 30 games before Tuesday due to injuries and a resulting shortage of synchronicity.<\/p>\n
Now factor in rookie guard VJ Edgecombe and the hunger, youthful energy and two-way hustle he brings. The 6-foot-4 native of the Bahamas played last season at Baylor before landing in Philadelphia as the No. 3 pick in June<\/a>. After his performance in the 139-136 overtime victory at Memphis<\/a> on Tuesday, he ranks at least that high as a Sixers\u2019 fan favorite.<\/p>\n Edgecombe scored 25 points, with 13 in the fourth quarter and the go-ahead 3-pointer with 1.7 seconds left in overtime to help the aforementioned \u201cBig Three\u201d finally win together this season. His defensive diligence against several Grizzlies and knack for rising to the occasion provided a snapshot of his work and the No. 3 spot<\/a> he occupies in the latest Kia Rookie Ladder.<\/p>\n \u201cSurprise me?\u201d Edgecombe said, when asked about the step up from 33 college games to this level. \u201cNah, I mean, I figured the intensity was going to be higher. The decision-making was going to be better. Guys were going to be bigger, stronger. I expected all of that, to be honest.\u201d<\/p>\n He arrived seemingly NBA-ready, scoring 34 points with five 3-pointers in Philadelphia\u2019s opening-game victory<\/a> over rival Boston. Through the Sixers\u2019 five October games, Edgecombe put up numbers that were more All-Star than All-Rookie: 21.1 ppg, 5.6 rpg, 5.4 apg and 43.8% on 3-pointers.<\/p>\n \u201cI had that big first game, and some people expected me to score 34 every night after that,\u201d Edgecombe told NBA.com after last weekend\u2019s game in Chicago. \u201cThat\u2019s unrealistic. I\u2019m still trying to figure it out. I just want to do what it takes to win, whether that\u2019s guarding the best [opposing] player every night or at times scoring. I just want to win.\u201d<\/p>\n Edgecombe\u2019s athletic ability was evident from the start, but coach Nick Nurse has seen layers of development in his game since then.<\/p>\n \u201cFirst and foremost, [his athleticism] was one of the things that stood out when we picked him,\u201d Nurse said. \u201cAs time went on, we certainly noticed that he had a good feel for the game. I think his shooting probably has been better than people thought when drafted. He worked hard at that over the summer.\u201d<\/p>\n Aside from Edgecombe\u2019s shooting touch, Nurse sees other aspects to Edgecombe\u2019s game.<\/p>\n \u201cThe other thing that we\u2019ve seen is that he\u2019s a big playmaker,\u201d Nurse said. \u201cHe\u2019s made a lot of huge plays in a lot of different ways in close games down the stretch. You never know if you\u2019re going to get those, but we\u2019ve gotten \u2018em pretty early and in some big games.<\/p>\n \u201cAnd it\u2019s not just scoring a big bucket \u2013 which he\u2019ll do \u2013 but he\u2019ll block a shot, he\u2019ll rebound, he\u2019ll go get a loose ball.\u201d<\/p>\n Or score a big bucket, as he did on Tuesday. Edgecombe set a screen for Maxey, then slipped away from the two defenders he drew. The extra attention did get the ball out of Maxey\u2019s hands, except it went to Edgedcombe, who then did the damage.<\/p>\n \u201cThey doubled him and I was wide-open,\u201d he said afterward, \u201cand I was shooting it regardless of how far I was.<\/p>\n \u201cI know the moment is never too big for me.\u201d<\/p>\n Nor is this rookie class, the best in recent years, too deep for Edgecombe to emerge as a top candidate for Kia Rookie of the Year.<\/p>\n \u201cYeah, it\u2019s on my radar, but at the end of the day, I want to win,\u201d he said. \u201cI want us to go as far as we can.\u201d<\/p>\n * * *<\/p>\n Steve Aschburner has written about the NBA since 1980. You can e-mail him\u00a0here<\/a>, find\u00a0his archive here<\/a>\u00a0and\u00a0follow him on X<\/a>.<\/p>\n