Against all odds, the Philadelphia 76ers managed to turn in one of their best performances this season during their latest win over the New York Knicks. Despite playing in a hostile environment at the Madison Square Garden, they were able to notch their 15th win of the season, and a big reason why they upset the hosts was VJ Edgecombe, who definitely displayed some of his best basketball this year.
Edgecombe poured out 23 points, three rebounds, four assists, and a couple of steals to co-lead the 76ers to the win with Tyrese Maxey. Even better, he had a very efficient shooting night, converting on 10 of his 18 shots and three of his six three-point tries while coughing the ball up just once in his 38 minutes of game time. Most importantly, he came up huge in the clutch for Philly.
To be frank, Edgecombe has had better numbers than these, but one cannot simply gloss over the fact that he played this well in the Garden, which is often deemed a rite of passage for players aiming to become real, bona fide stars in the NBA.
VJ Edgecombe officially announces himself as the 76ers eke out a win over the Knicks in the Garden
After a blazing start to the season, Edgecombe has undeniably taken a couple of steps back over the last month. His efficiency took a sharp hit, and with defenses now more alert of what he can do on the hardwood, it has become more difficult for him to surprise teams with his scoring talent and athleticism without a letup on offense.
All things considered, though, it is high time for the league to acknowledge that Edgecombe is still one of the favorites to win Rookie of the Year. Charlotte’s Kon Knueppel has played sterling basketball and is probably the frontrunner, but Edgecombe should be the one deemed to be his biggest competitor for the coveted award, not first overall pick Cooper Flagg.
Flagg has started to pick his game up, but he has been blessed with a cast amount of leeway on a Mavericks team that does not know what it wants to do this season. Conversely, the 76ers are doing their earnest to win as many games as possible, putting more stakes on Edgecombe’s performances on a nightly basis.
VJ Edgecombe is here, and with this strong performance at the mecca of New York, the league has to recognize that he is much better than advertised.