Edgecombe’s 34 Leads Sixers Past Celtics

Rookie VJ Edgecombe scored 34 points in the Philadelphia 76ers’ 117–116 season-opening win over the Boston Celtics, setting a franchise debut record and recording the third-most points ever in an NBA debut (the most since Wilt Chamberlain in 1959). Tyrese Maxey added 40 points, combining with Edgecombe for 74 of the team’s points. Paul George and Jared McCain were unavailable, increasing the load on the young backcourt. Joel Embiid was limited to four points on 1-for-9 shooting in 20 minutes and showed rust and knee concerns despite coach Nick Nurse’s public defense. The result left optimism about a Maxey–Edgecombe backcourt but lingering questions about Embiid’s conditioning and availability.