76ers-Celtics takeaways: Rookie VJ Edgecombe proves to be a problem as Philadelphia evens series

BOSTON — After the Boston Celtics’ blowout victory over the Philadelphia 76ers in Game 1 of their first-round playoff series, it appeared perhaps no team would want any part of a focused Celtics squad at full strength . Turns out, the 76ers weren’t fazed in the least. Philadelphia evened the series in Game 2 Tuesday night at TD Garden with a convincing 111-97 victory in which it out-shot Boston and remained in control for most of the evening.

Here are the key takeaways for how the 76ers claimed home-court advantage: VJ Edgecombe is going to be incredible The 76ers are in good hands in the backcourt with Tyrese Maxey and VJ Edgecombe. In Philadelphia’s regular-season opener, the two guards combined for 74 points on 50 shots, showing a blueprint for how to beat Boston: win the backcourt matchup. Maxey was his usual spectacular self Tuesday night, totaling 29 points and 9 assists, and the 76ers needed his electricity at the forefront of their offense.

But it was Edgecombe, the rookie, who came up big as a release valve for Maxey, totaling 30 points in only the second playoff game of his career. Thirteen of them came off assists from Maxey. Edgecombe even helped sustain Philly’s offense in the absence of Maxey and Paul George at the end of the third quarter, keeping Boston at bay.

To do that on this stage as a 20-year-old against this Celtics defense says all we need to know about his future. That he might finish third in Rookie of the Year voting — behind Dallas’ Cooper Flagg and Charlotte’s Kon Knueppel — says as much about this rookie class. Philadelphia’s 3-point shooting After shooting 4-for-23 (17.