76ers' V. J. Edgecombe breaks Tim Duncan, Magic Johnson NBA Playoffs records vs. Celtics originally appeared on The Sporting News. Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.

Rookies can do way more than just carry luggage or sit in the NBA Playoffs. Coach Nick Nurse and the Philadelphia 76ers trusted V. J. Edgecombe all season-long and it paid dividends in Game 2 against the Boston Celtics. Despite not having Joel Embiid, he and Tyrese Maxey led the team to a 111-97 win to even up the series. The rookie sensation also notched a record only achieved by greats like Tim Duncan and Magic Johnson.

V. J. Edgecombe has evolved into a full-blown star in just his first NBA Playoffs series. Coach Nick Nurse fielded him as a starter and trusted him stayed on for 35 minutes. Each second of that allotted playing time was not at all wasted. He tortured the Celtics defense anchored by Derrick White, Jayson Tatum, and Jaylen Brown by erupting for a team-high 30 points. Edgecombe was not just chucking it too. He did it efficiently by knocking down 60% of his field and three-pointers.

He was also able to notch 10 rebounds. This means that he becomes the first rookie to have a 30-point and 10-rebound NBA Playoffs game since Tim Duncan. The first person to do it? Well, it was none other than Magic Johnson, per StatMuse. So, the 76ers rookie achieved something in his first year that LeBron James, Luka Doncic, and Shai Gilgeous-Alexander have not while facing an all-time great Celtics defense.

So far, this was a redemption game for Edgecombe. He only managed to score 13 points and could not sink a single one of his five three-point attempts in his first NBA Playoffs game. Now, he and Tyrese Maxey are a live. With no Joel Embiid, it is impressive that they made this series against the Celtics who are gunning for a championship.