Rookie VJ Edgecombe's playoff breakout sends 76ers past Celtics, puts him in company with Magic Johnson
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There will be no Boston Celtics sweep.

Rookie VJ Edgecombe stole the show at TD Garden Tuesday night to power the Philadelphia 76ers past the Celtics in a 111-97 win. Edgecombe overcame a hard fall on his backside in the first quarter that prompted him to go to the locker room twice.

But he returned both times to pace the 76ers alongside his backcourt mate, Tyrese Maxey. The tandem led an onslaught from 3 as Philadelphia shot 19 of 39 (49%) from long distance.

Edgecombe overcame an 0-for-5 effort from 3 in Game 1 to lead Philadelphia with 30 points while shooting 6 of 10 from 3 in Game 2. He added 10 rebounds, 2 assists and 2 steals while shooting 12 of 20 from the floor. Per ESPN, Edgecombe passed Magic Johnson as the youngest player in playoff history (20 years, 265 days) to tally 30 points and 10 rebounds in a playoff game.

VJ Edgecombe and Tyrese Maxey led a 76ers upset of the Celtics in Boston Tuesday night.

Adam Glanzman via Getty Images

Maxey added 29 while shooting 5 of 12 from long distance. The overall effort marked a stark contrast from Boston’s 123-91 blowout win in Game 1 in which the 76ers shot 4 of 23 (17%) from beyond the arc.

Celtics go cold from deep

Tuesday, instead, marked Boston’s turn to go cold from 3 as the Celtics shot 13 of 50 (26%) from beyond the arc. Jaylen Brown was Boston’s only reliable source of offense with 36 points, 7 rebounds and 4 assists while shooting 5 of 12 from 3.

Jayson Tatum was the only other Celtic to score in double figures in a 19-point effort while shooting 2 of 8 from beyond the arc.

76ers seize control after early Celtics tone-setter

Brown attempted to set the tone early for the Celtics with a thunderous dunk over Adam Bona in the first quarter that brought TD Garden to its collective feet.

JAYLEN BROWN PUT HIM ON A POSTER!

He received a technical foul following the play. pic.twitter.com/GzRmZ0JFCj

— TSN (@TSN_Sports) April 21, 2026

Brown’s reaction to the dunk also drew a technical foul, but the Celtics ended the first quarter with a 28-25 lead and their sights set on a 2-0 series lead.

But Philadelphia punched back in the second quarter, paced by Edgecombe’s hot shooting. Edgecombe hit 4 3s before halftime and tallied 20 first-half points while leading the 76ers to a 62-54 lead at the break.

VJ FOR THREE! pic.twitter.com/a6HiowLhCy

— Philadelphia 76ers (@sixers) April 22, 2026

From there, Boston closed the gap to as close at 91-89 midway through the third quarter, but it never led again. Maxey helped turn away any semblance of a Celtics rally with his own hot shooting in the fourth quarter.

TYRESE MAXEY STAMPS IT!

SIXERS WIN GAME 2 ON THE ROAD AND TIE THE SERIES AT 1-1 🔥 pic.twitter.com/cIcgLx88lb

— NBA (@NBA) April 22, 2026

While Maxey helped close the deal, it was Edgecombe who earned top billing Tuesday night in his second-ever playoff game.

Playoff breakout for standout 76ers rookie

Edgecombe was one of the NBA’s best rookies all season after the 76ers selected him with the No. 3 pick. A two-way guard and a strong defender at Baylor, Edgecombe quickly blossomed into an offensive threat in the NBA and finished his rookie campaign with averages of 16 points, 5.6 rebounds, 4.2 assists and 1.4 steals per game. He shot 35.4% from 3 on 5.6 attempts per game during the regular season.

He’s the best rookie in the playoffs as fellow Rookie of the Year finalist Cooper Flagg failed to make the postseason with the Dallas Mavericks, and Kon Knueppel got knocked out of the play-in with the Charlotte Hornets.

And with his 76ers facing a 2-0 series deficit, Edgecombe stepped up as Philadelphia’s leader on the road against one of the NBA’s glamour franchises and a heated 76ers rival. It was another breakout performance on top of a standout rookie regular season.

And the 76ers are headed back to Philalphia in a 1-1 series, having stolen home-court advantage. Game 3 is scheduled for Friday night (7 p.m. ET, Prime).



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