Ending up with a win on their first game of the season, the negative takeaways will always be watered down. That is more so the case given that the silver linings in their dub over their nemeses, the Boston Celtics, came in a sterling package — one laced with the brilliance of VJ Edgecombe, who had a historic debut as a rookie.
Still, it is difficult to get past some of the more glaring omissions or choices made by Nick Nurse and the coaching staff. In fact, a brief glance at the boxscore would give anyone an idea of a certain puzzling decision — that Justin Edwards barely even saw the hardwood during their official kick-off to the campaign.
Edwards ended up sniffing the floor for just six seconds. Yes, you read that right — the sophomore forward, who averaged more than 26 minutes per game last, could not even last to complete the full span of a shot clock.
The 21-year-old did not exactly stand out during the Summer League and the preseason, but he was still pegged as a vital part of the rotation. But apparently, that is not the case in the minds of the coaching staff, at least to begin the season. Still, this was completely perplexing to say the least.
The 76ers have no reason not to play Justin Edwards at all
With the 76ers still missing the services of both Paul George and Trendon Watford, people were expecting the team to give major minutes to Edwards, who fulfilled the same step-in role last season. That makes it all the more questionable for the coaching staff not to give him real court time.
Edwards is one of the team’s few three-and-D pieces. He has good size as a small forward, and shot the ball from three-point territory at an above-average rate last season. Also, while not as proficient in that department just yet, he has shown glimpses of being able to create his own shot.
Meanwhile, the team allowed Kelly Oubre Jr. to play almost 34 minutes against Boston, which is definitely too much not only in its own right, but also in view of Edwards not getting any aside from his cameo appearance.
Moving forward, Nick Nurse and the coaching staff must repose more trust and confidence on Justin Edwards. He is needed by the team, and there is literally no reason not to play him actual minutes given this squad’s deficiencies.