VJ Edgecombe clutches up in the Garden, Sixers beat Knicks 116-107
The Sixers went into Madison Square Garden on Friday night and did something they haven’t always been able to do this season. With Tyrese Maxey back in the lineup and VJ Edgecombe delivering yet another clutch performance, the Sixers pulled away late to beat the Knicks 116–107 in what was easily one of their most impressive wins of the year given the opponent and the environment.
This game felt like a real “arrival” moment for VJ Edgecombe, and that’s saying something considering he dropped a historic 34 points in his NBA debut. Over the last week, though, this stretch might be the best basketball he’s played yet.
After putting up 22 points against Indiana and following it with 26 against Atlanta, Edgecombe stayed hot in New York, finishing with 23 points, four assists, two steals, and a handful of momentum-swinging plays that don’t show up in a box score.
VJ Edgecombe in the clutch:
The turning point came midway through the third quarter when Maxey needed a breather. VJ Edgecombe immediately recognized the moment. He hit a pull-up jumper to get going, forced a turnover on the other end with a disciplined closeout, then ran the offense and carved through the Knicks’ defense to set up an easy dunk for Bona.
From there, the game slowed down for him in real time. He attacked the paint with confidence, absorbed contact without losing balance, knocked down a pair of threes, and consistently made the right reads.
What stood out most, though, was the defense. Edgecombe took turns guarding Jalen Brunson, Mikal Bridges, and Josh Hart and never looked overwhelmed. Brunson’s herky-jerky, foul-baiting style eats rookies alive, but Edgecombe stayed attached through screens, slid his feet, and refused to bite.
That kind of defensive versatility from a 20-year-old rookie is rare.
Late in the game, Edgecombe sealed it. He tipped in a crucial basket with just over a minute left, then dove on the floor for a massive offensive rebound that led to a Maxey corner three with under a minute to go.
That was game. Over his last three outings, VJ Edgecombe is averaging nearly 24 points per game, and he looks more comfortable with every possession.
Maxey, meanwhile, quietly did Maxey things. He finished with 30 points and eight assists, hit tough shots when the offense stalled, and battled defensively through screens all night.
It almost feels strange to call attention to it because this level of production has become expected, but the Sixers do not win this game without him closing.
The one real concern came on the glass. The Knicks crushed the Sixers on offensive rebounds, grabbing 21 of them as a team. Mitchell Robinson led the charge, but it was a collective effort that exposed Philadelphia’s biggest weakness.
Adem Bona, in particular, struggled again, getting caught between contesting shots and staying in rebounding position. With Joel Embiid missing time and Andre Drummond nearing the end of his deal, the Sixers are going to need more consistency from Bona sooner rather than later.
Still, this was a night about growth. Paul George and Quentin Grimes had off nights. Joel Embiid didn’t play. The Knicks were at home. None of it mattered.
The Sixers leaned on Maxey’s shot-making and Edgecombe’s fearlessness, got key contributions from role players like Dominick Barlow and Andre Drummond, and walked out of the Garden with a statement win.
For VJ Edgecombe, the moment never looked too big.
Playing at Madison Square Garden for the first time, he looked like someone who had been waiting for the lights to get brighter. He’s not overwhelmed at all and more importantly, he’s not even close to being finished.
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