BOSTON -- There aren't a lot of rookies in this league like Philadelphia 76ers guard VJ Edgecombe. Sure, other rookies like Cooper Flagg and Kon Knueppel have received a lot of the attention, but Edgecombe has consistently shown that he is going to be one of the better players in this league for quite some time.
Edgecombe made history in Philadelphia's 111-97 Game 2 win over the Boston Celtics. He had 30 points and 10 rebounds while knocking down six triples. He is the first rookie to have 30 points and 10 rebounds in a game since Tim Duncan back in 1998. Of course, Duncan was a big man. Edgecombe is a guard. He bothered the Celtics all night and he even wowed his teammates.
"You did that?" Paul George said to Edgecombe at the podium at the TD Garden after the win. The two then shared a moment before George went in depth on Edgecombe.
"I mean, he's been impressive all season long," George said. "When you think about it, and how he started his first NBA game here in this building, and I'm sure he was in a small percentage, or small group of players that did what he did on that opening night, and then to put a whole season together and get to this point where he's showcasing who he is and his abilities and it's just, you know, I've been saying it all year long. He's far past a rookie. What a 20 year old can do."
George is referring to Edgecombe's NBA debut when he had 34 points in a win over these same Celtics in that same building back on opening night in October. The rookie just continues to impress at a high level every night.
"It's just impressive, man, and 30 and 10, it’s just what we needed in moments throughout this game where he took over and it kind of just put us at ease," George added. "Whether I wasn't on the floor, Tyrese (Maxey) wasn't on the floor, he just put us at ease and got to spots and made big plays, and he had some big rebounds as well."
Edgecombe has had big moments and big games all season long, but to do it on the biggest stage in the playoffs is just mind-boggling. It's hard to remember that he still is just a rookie.
"Dude, I mean, the sky is beyond the limit for him," said Kelly Oubre Jr. "To come in his first playoff, his first year in the NBA, his first playoff appearance. Obviously, he loves it here. He just kind of picked up where he left off all regular season, but super proud of him. Just the work that he puts in is showing."
What's even more impressive is that Edgecombe is coming off a tough game. He had a tough time finding a rhythm in the Game 1 loss as he shot 0-for-5 from deep and 6-for-16 overall. That all changed in Game 2 as he received a message from Maxey.
"We've been saying it all year, but you know what he showed tonight was maturity," Maxey added. "Last game, a couple times he missed those 3s, and then he started driving, or he started cutting, and I told him, like, ‘Dude, you're not gonna miss. You're not gonna go find a 3. Do whenever they on the nail and I swing it to you, you shoot it. I don't care what the outcome is. If they help off you, shoot the ball. They go under? You shoot the ball.’ And look. He did that. He hooped, man. He hooped."
Tyrese Maxey on #Sixers rookie VJ Edgecombe in tonight’s win: “We've been saying it all year, but you know what he showed tonight was maturity.” pic.twitter.com/QSuPaWu8Yu
On top of having to battle the Boston defense, Edgecombe had to battle through some injuries. He took a hard fall in the first quarter and left for the locker room at two different moments in the game. Yet, he returned to be out there for his team.
"He’s a tough kid," Andre Drummond stated. "A tough kid. His confidence is something I haven’t seen in a very long time. He plays with a swag that a lot of guys don’t play with when they come in this league. I’m happy that he’s here. He’s playing at a very high level and we’ll need more from him next game, too. So, he needs to stay prepared."
The Sixers will host the Celtics now in Game 3 on Friday.
This article originally appeared on Sixers Wire: Multiple Sixers in awe of VJ Edgecombe after historic game vs. Celtics