The Philadelphia 76ers started this season without Paul George and with Joel Embiid limited by a sore knee. Thanks to their pair of young guards, they’re 3-0.
Tyrese Maxey, 24, scored 43 points and 20-year-old rookie VJ Edgecombe scored 26 as the Sixers defeated the Orlando Magic Monday night, 136-124. The duo has driven the 76ers to an undefeated start even without the team’s two highest-paid players.
Tyrese Maxey and VJ Edgecombe could be the 76ers’ future
Philadelphia’s disastrous 24-58 season, where the Sixers had championship aspirations, had a silver lining when the team ended up with the No. 3 pick in June’s draft. This gave them the chance to select Edgecombe, the Big 12 Freshman of the Year from Baylor.
He’s averaging 25 ppg so far, along with 5.7 rebounds and six assists. It’s not just offense, either. Edgecombe has five steals and two blocks in his first three games.
Maxey is scoring even more than his backcourt partner. He’s averaging 37 ppg and 7.7 assists. That kind of offensive production from a pair of guards is unprecedented — at least since the NBA started keeping track in 1970.
