After Derrick White’s explosive first half, rookie V.J. Edgecombe demanded the defensive assignment, stifling the Boston Celtics guard to secure a Game 7 victory and a second-round berth.
In his postgame presser after Game 7, Philadelphia 76ers coach Nick Nurse talked about the change he made to limit Boston Celtics guard Derrick White in the second half.
"VJ [Edgecombe] kind of came out of the halftime and said, 'I got Derrick White, and I'm gonna do better on him,'" Nurse said.
White shot just 3 of 13 in the second half, showing how much Edgecombe bothered him with his defense.
This mattered because it seemed like White was finally coming to life, scoring 19 points in the first half and looking like the best offensive option for Boston, willing them back into the game when they were down double digits to start.
This is a night-and-day difference from how he looked in the first six games of the series, as he shot 30% from the field and 21% from beyond the arc before Saturday's game.
From the second half onward, Edgecombe stepped in and became White's primary defensive assignment. Not only did he compete on defense and prevent White from having an even bigger offensive night, but he also finished with 23 points and hit five three-pointers, showing poise and maturity beyond his years by stepping up in a win-or-go-home scenario and proving he belonged on the biggest stage.
In a series where Boston tried to load up on Tyrese Maxey and force other Sixers to beat them, Edgecombe kept making the Celtics pay, both as a perimeter scorer and as a defender who could stay connected on the ball.
That is what makes Edgecombe such an important part of Philadelphia’s present and future. He is not just a rookie who can score in big moments; he is already giving the Sixers a point-of-attack defender who can handle difficult guard assignments and keep their defense intact. Against Boston, that meant bothering one of the Celtics’ better shot creators.
Over the long haul, it could mean far more.
For now, Edgecombe will rest and prepare for a second-round matchup with the New York Knicks. A team that presents a whole new challenge with the great scoring of Jalen Brunson and Karl Anthony-Towns.
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Wes Dixon is a contributing writer to 76ersRoundtable. He can be reached at dixonwesley286@gmail.com.