The Philadelphia 76ers have officially advanced to 2-0 on the season after a second-straight fourth-quarter comeback to start the season as they beat the Charlotte Hornets by a score of 125-121.

After getting off to an early lead, the Sixers let that lead slip in the third quarter, but made up for it in the fourth, outscoring the Hornets 39-25 in the final quarter. While the victory was a true team effort, there were a few aspects of this game that stood out from the rest. That said, let's take a look at our three main takeaways from the Sixers’ home opener. 

No. 1 - Joel Embiid Shut Down any Concerns About his Game

After his first game against the Boston Celtics, fans were worried about Joel Embiid, as a four-point performance on terrible shooting is very uncharacteristic for him. That said, most of those fans also realized that it was only one game and that it was his first game back since February. 

Thankfully, Embiid proved that it was just a rusty game with an incredible performance against the Hornets. In 20 minutes, Embiid scored 20 points on efficient 7-11 shooting from the field. Not only were his numbers great, but he looked like himself again. 

Though Embiid shot six threes, which is a bit uncharacteristic, he went to work in the paint and successfully drew fouls. He was also a big reason that the Sixers had a lead early in the game, which wasn’t the case in their first game. 

Postgame, Embiid made it clear that he’s a bit frustrated with limited minutes as he wants to make his full impact on the game. 

This is a great sign that he’s feeling ready to go back to full action, which indicates how his body is feeling. Hopefully, his minutes restriction will be lifted soon, and he can continue playing as well as he did against the Hornets. 

No. 2 - The Sixers Made a Strong Case for Having the Best Backcourt in the NBA

In the Sixers’ first game against the Celtics, it was Tyrese Maxey and VJ Edgecombe who pushed the team to victory, with a combined 74 points. In their victory over Charlotte, however, it was Quentin Grimes who saved the day for the Sixers in the final seconds of the game. 

In 30 minutes off the bench, Grimes scored 24 points on 5-8 shooting from beyond the arc. One of those three-pointers came within the last 20 seconds of the game and ended up being the game-winner for the Sixers. 

Maxey did lead the team in scoring with 28 points, but he was inefficient from the field, shooting just 7-20. That said, he shot well from three for the second-straight game, going 4-9. So far to start the season, Maxey is shooting over 61% from deep, on 18 attempts, which is an incredible start for him. 

Edgecombe added 15 points to Philly’s backcourt scoring, making their total 67 on the night. For all three players to make a significant impact, it gives them a strong case to have at least the best depth in their backcourt. That said, when considering that they’re still yet to add Jared McCain back to the lineup, it becomes even stronger. If they continue to play on this level, there likely won’t be any debate by the end of the season. 

No. 3 VJ Edgecombe is the Truth 

After scoring 34 points in his NBA debut, Edgecombe quickly climbed the Rookie of the Year award ladder. While it was just one game, he looked like a polished NBA player in his debut, which is almost unheard of. Now, after his second game, he has built on his Rookie of the Year campaign even further. 

One of our pregame keys to a Sixers victory was continuing to play through Edgecombe as he controlled the game beautifully against the Celtics. Well, not only did the Sixers do so, but Edgecombe was even better as a playmaker in this game. 

To go along with his 15 points, Edgecombe had eight assists and six rebounds, as well as three steals on the defensive end. It may not have been another 34-point performance, but he had a complete game and once again helped lead his team to a victory. 

Having seen Edgecombe now play multiple games at a high level, it’s clear that his first game wasn’t a fluke, and it appears that he could maintain this play throughout the season. If that’s the case, Cooper Flagg may actually have some serious competition.