Instant observations: VJ Edgecombe drops 30 points in Sixers’ Game 2 win over Celtics
Apr 21, 2026; Boston, Massachusetts, USA; Philadelphia 76ers guard Vj Edgecombe (77) attempts a three-point basket against the Boston Celtics in the first half of a game two of the first round of the 2026 NBA Playoffs at TD Garden. Mandatory Credit: Brian Fluharty-Imagn Images The Sixers pulled themselves off the mat and scored a gigantic Game 2 victory over the Boston Celtics, outlasting their hated rivals in a 111-97 win on the road. Star rookie VJ Edgecombe scored 30 points and pulled down 10 rebounds to lead Philadelphia to victory and tie the 76ers’ series at 1-1.
Here’s what I saw. This kid is special Watching VJ Edgecombe limp back to the locker room as the Sixers were getting beaten up by Boston in the first quarter briefly felt like the end of any interest in the series. The rookie had taken a hard foul and tried to play through it for a minute or two, and as the Celtics’ lead ballooned to double digits, I know a few of you were ready to pack it in.
But there he was, back on the floor by the end of the first, not ready to concede the season quite yet. All he did from there was put the Sixers on his back. Edgecombe was involved in Tuesday’s game in every possible way.
Assistant coaches have challenged him to be more involved as a rebounder late in the year, and he was the game’s leading rebounder at halftime with seven boards (three offensive, four defensive) after 24 minutes of action. His efforts to end possessions let him get loose in transition, and he had a couple of beautiful sequences on the break, with Edgecombe throwing down a two-hander as the Sixers started to get a real grip on this game: VJ EDGECOMBE WITH THE TWO-HANDED POSTER 💥💥 pic. twitter.
com/TGU9a0iqGf — PHLY Sixers (@PHLY_Sixers) April 22, 2026 But the stunning part of this performance is that he spent a lot of this game picking apart an elite half-court defense. Boston was bold enough to dare him to shoot after a poor shooting night in Game 1, and Edgecombe went 4/6 from three to open this game up, punishing every bit of space the Celtics gave him on the perimeter. Even more impressive was his work attacking Boston’s drop coverage, with the rookie snaking pick-and-rolls to bury Queta and Vucevic with midrange jumpers.
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