Overview
- Philadelphia edged Boston 117-116 as Tyrese Maxey scored 40 and rookie VJ Edgecombe added 34 with seven rebounds, three assists and a steal.
- Edgecombe surpassed Allen Iverson for the most points by a 76er in a debut and posted the third-highest rookie debut total in NBA history, including 5-of-13 from three.
- Joel Embiid finished 1-for-9 for four points in 20 minutes with a team-worst minus-16 and sat the fourth quarter due to a minutes restriction.
- Bill Simmons labeled Embiid “done,” contrasting with head coach Nick Nurse’s defense that poor shooting reflected rust after limited preseason action.
- ESPN voices highlighted a shift toward a younger, faster identity led by Maxey and Edgecombe, with one scout reporting Embiid looked pretty good in the final preseason game.