The Philadelphia 76ers began their 2025-26 NBA season in up north, facing longtime rivals, the Boston Celtics. What began as a night of intrigue went through a wave of emotions and became an instant classic of a start to the season for Philadelphia.
Rookie VJ Edgecombe wasted no time introducing himself to the league. The No. 3 pick in the 2025 NBA Draft quickly went on a heater, scoring at one point, ten unanswered points against the Celtics.
In total, Edgecombe would score 14 points in the first quarter, an NBA record for the most points in the first quarter of a player's debut in the league, passing LeBron James (12) to earn the honor. That would not be the only historic milestone a Sixers player would achieve in this game.
As the Sixers faced an early two-point deficit entering the second, Tyrese Maxey answered Edgecombe's first-quarter outburst with a scorching 19-point second quarter. Philadelphia's new backcourt pairing could not have asked for a better debut, combining for 74 points, 12 made threes, nine rebounds, nine assists, and four stocks (steals and blocks) in their debut together.
Expectations for both Maxey, an All-Star in 2024, and Edgecombe, a top-three pick in the most recent draft, were undoubtedly going to be high, but this level of production went well beyond any reasonable expectation and was critical in the Sixers coming back in this game and starting the season off on the right foot.
A third-quarter slump seemed to steal all momentum from Philadelphia as the team, namely Joel Embiid, struggled mightily to defend the constant barrage by Boston. Embiid is coming into the season having only played a scrimmage and less than 20 minutes of a preseason game, so some rust is to be expected, but tonight was a far cry from what fans have seen from Embiid.
One game into the season, after playing just 19 the previous year, would not normally be a red flag, perhaps orange at most, but given how Embiid looked in those 19 games, the rash of injuries he's undergone in his career and even more so, the lack of certainty that he can return to an MVP or even All-Star level, it's certainly a concern, but one that will be addressed another day, thanks to the heroics of Maxey and Edgecombe.
Had it not been for the Sixers' backcourt tandem, Philadelphia would have not just lost, but been embarrassed.
Thankfully, that electric tandem pulled through and led the Sixers' efforts in the fourth quarter, alongside Kelly Oubre, who overcame an overall rough game to make crucial plays in the game's biggest moments.
The game came down to execution as it often does. Despite a pair of missed free throws by VJ Edgecombe, a moment that will surely stick out in his mind ahead of all the positives from tonight, the Sixers executed in all other aspects of the fourth quarter, allowing for Philadelphia to walk out of the TD Garden with a perfect 1-0 record to start the season.
Recapping the many historic milestones of the evening, Edgecombe's first quarter was impressive enough, but by night's end, he would become the franchise's all-time leading scorer in an NBA debut with 34 points. That mark is also the third most in league history.
Not to be outdone, Tyrese Maxey also tied Hall of Fame guard Hal Greer for the Sixers' franchise record for the most points scored in a season debut (40).
Philadelphia's starting backcourt may be young, but they're ready to take the league by storm together.
The Sixers will return home for their regular-season debut at the Xfinity Mobile Arena on Saturday against the Charlotte Hornets.
