Justin Edwards is coming to life at the perfect time of year for 76ers

The Philadelphia 76ers are in the midst of a grueling stretch in which each of their top three players are out of action. Joel Embiid and Tyrese Maxey are recovering from injuries, Paul George is facing a suspension, and the 76ers' dreams of avoiding the Play-In Tournament are falling apart.

Thankfully, second-year wing Justin Edwards has come to life at the perfect time to not only prepare for the postseason, but help Philadelphia avoid disaster.

Edwards showed intriguing signs of promise during his rookie season in 2024-25. With Embiid and George in and out of the rotation, the former Kentucky Wildcats standout averaged 10.1 points, 3.4 rebounds, 1.0 offensive boards, 1.6 assists, 1.0 steal, and 1.6 three-point field goals made in 26.3 minutes per game on .455/.363/.696 shooting.

Unfortunately, Edwards has played just 14.6 minutes per game during a difficult sophomore season that's seen him struggle to consistently find touches.

With the big names sidelined, however, Edwards has stepped up to the plate and delivered a steady stream of quality. He's scored in double figures in three of the past four games, and has suddenly emerged as a reliable playmaker on both ends of the floor.

With the playoffs nearing and the 76ers in need of perimeter quality, Edwards is answering the call and proving how deep the rotation truly is.

Justin Edwards is stepping up with stars sidelined, playoffs approaching

Edwards, 22, set the wheels in motion with nine points and three assists in 26 minutes during a loss to the San Antonio Spurs on Mar. 3. He posted five points, four assists, and two steals in just 15 minutes the next time out, helping Philadelphia defeat the Utah Jazz.

Though the 76ers lost to the Cleveland Cavaliers the next time out, Edwards finished with 14 points, three assists, two rebounds, and two steals in 28 minutes on 5-of-6 shooting.

Edwards kept the momentum going with 12 points, nine rebounds, five assists, and four steals on 5-of-11 shooting in a loss to the Detroit Pistons. It was yet another example of his ability to not only score, but facilitate the offense and create turnovers at high levels.

That all culminated with a stellar showing from Edwards in which he tallied 19 points, four rebounds, two assists, three steals, and two blocks on 9-of-13 shooting to help the 76ers pick up a pivotal win over the Brooklyn Nets.

Though defeating Brooklyn may not be an awe-inspiring feat, the victory kept Philadelphia within 2.0 games of the No. 6 seed. It's already stuck in a Play-In position, but can climb as high as No. 5 by simply making up that 2.0-game gap—and that makes every win essential.

Thankfully, Edwards is stepping up exactly when the 76ers need him most to ensure they don't fall too far down the standings.