VJ Edgecombe's sneak peak leads major takeaways from 76ers' debut loss

It took less than one half for V.J. Edgecombe to wow Philadelphia 76ers fans.

Edgecombe received the ball on the wing and used a ball-screen from Jabari Walker to get Landry Shamet to switch. With the shot clock winding down, Edgecombe promptly jab-stepped to knock Shamet slightly off balance then nailed Philadelphia’s lone three-pointer of the first half.

This was just one of many flashes Edgecombe showed.

Philadelphia (0-1) fell victim to the New York Knicks (1-0) 99-84 on Thursday afternoon at Etihad Arena in Abu Dhabi. Edgecombe posted 14 points on 4-13 shooting from the field, six rebounds, and three assists. His encouraging performance was the most notable observation from the 76ers in their preseason opener..

The “Point-V.J.” experience 

Philadelphia expressed its desire to increase defensive playmaking and tempo and Edgecombe checked both boxes early on. He pushed the ball down the floor off a Knicks miss and found Adem Bona leaking out to the rim for an easy dunk. 

This was a role Edgecombe grew more accustomed to as the 76ers slid him to point guard at various points in the game. Nick Nurse said during Media Day on Friday that such lineup changes were a possibility. But, there were growing pains.

The 76ers’ offense dried up with Edgecombe at the helm while Tyrese Maxey rested. Edgecombe failed to create adequate advantages, and the offense lacked structure. 

It wasn't until later in the first half that the third overall pick established rhythm. Edgecombe took his defender off the dribble for a well-earned layup then created a layup for Johni Broome with a connective pass in consecutive possessions.

What can we take from this?

Many believed that shot creation and playmaking were weaknesses for Edgecombe. While he wasn't perfect on either front, the Baylor product displayed the capability of on-ball productivity between aggressive drives and skip passes. It's a matter of smoothing out his edges and him dictating pace rather than getting sped up. 

Regardless, Edgecombe must be more productive as an outside shooter moving forward. He shot 1-6 from beyond the arc as he wasn’t able to capitalize on cleanly generated looks, especially those from Maxey. Still, it's just one exhibition. 

While Edgecombe didn't have any highlight-reel defensive plays, he was one of Philadelphia's few capable point-of-attack defenders. He cleanly navigated through screens and nicely contested shots in one-on-one possessions. The only unfortunate part is that he seldom guarded Jalen Brunson.

Other stuff to note

Joel Embiid, Paul George, and Trendon Watford did not play while Quentin Grimes remains in Philadelphia.

Tyrese Maxey notched 14 points on 5-12 shooting from the field and four assists. He found great success at the rim in various ways with a strong combination of slashing, cutting, and playmaking.

Dominick Barlow started at power forward and provided solid help rotations and capability as a roll-man. He finished with four points on 2-5 accuracy from the field and nine rebounds.

The 76ers' backup center situation remains in question. Bona notched as many points as he did personal fouls with four while Andre Drummond posted just two points and three rebounds. Walker played center in the fourth quarter and scored seven of his nine points in the frame.

Philadelphia shot an abysmal 3-36 from deep and Justin Edwards led the charge with seven missed threes. He received decent looks, but his shots didn't fall.

The 76ers will stay in Abu Dhabi to rematch New York on October 4th at 11 a.m. EST.