As the Sixers were in the process of getting blown out by the San Antonio Spurs, the team dealt yet another blow as starting rookie VJ Edgecombe was forced to exit the game at the half.
Edgecombe suffered a back injury after being fouled by Spurs rookie Carter Bryant with less than a second remaining in the half. He was able to get up and attempted his three free throws before making his way to the locker room, walking under his own power — though with a noticeable hobble.
Prior to the start of the second half, it was announced that Edgecombe would miss the rest of the game.
While at the line, Edgecombe displayed visible discomfort, and with the team down 25 after the half, his return made little sense. While it’s not inherently an indicator of the severity of the injury, it was certainly yet another unwelcome sight in an already ugly game.
Already missing Joel Embiid (right oblique strain), Paul George (suspension) and Kelly Oubre Jr. (illness), the loss of Edgecombe was the last thing the team needed on an already frustrating night.
Victor Wembanyama and the Spurs have dominated the Sixers since the early going, and the loss of Edgecombe only widened the talent gap between the two teams.
The Sixers will hope for a better outing in Wednesday night’s matchup against the tanking Utah Jazz.
Unless otherwise stated, all stats included in this article are via NBA.com, PBPStats, Cleaning the Glass, Basketball Reference or Team Rankings. All salary information via Spotrac.
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