News 76ers Team Notes

[Philadelphia 76ers]

Jared McCain finds himself in a weird situation

More things have gone right than not thus far during the 2025-26 season for the Philadelphia 76ers, as we have plenty of positive takeaways from the team’s 14-11 start. One situation that we would call underwhelming or disappointing, though, is Jared McCain’s sophomore season. With 16 games now under his belt, the former Duke Blue Devil is averaging just 6.9 points, 1.9 rebounds and 1.8 assists, while shooting just 36.2 percent from the field. In Sunday night’s loss to the Atlanta Hawks, McCain went 0-for-5 from the field in a scoreless effort, albeit with a season-high-tying five assists.

Now, let’s get something out of the way first: I don’t find this slow start to be Jared McCain’s fault. He is coming off a meniscus surgery last season, and then suffered a torn UCL in his right thumb during a workout in September. He missed out on a normal training camp and preseason and then was out there on the court in November, after not having played an NBA game in 11 months. McCain would receive some spot minutes, while wearing a brace on his leg he found uncomfortable. He later received a weekend in the G League to get some run, and found a slimmer brace option he liked better, but his minutes are still oscillating in the high-teens to low-20s. Are we at all shocked he hasn’t hit his stride yet?

On a “normal” bad team where a mid-first-round draft pick broke out and was looking at being the runaway Rookie of the Year prior to an injury, he’d be used as a team centerpiece. If McCain was playing in Washington or Utah, he would likely be seeing 30-plus minutes per night by now, with all the primary ball handler reps you could throw at him. I don’t want to engage in too much of a hypothetical, but under such a scenario, you have to imagine there’s a much better chance McCain would have found his rhythm by now, and we’d be seeing a guy playing more like the rookie who took the league by storm.

On the other hand, I understand all this from Nick Nurse’s perspective. After last season, it’s not unrealistic to consider the possibility that both his and Daryl Morey’s jobs are on the line this year. Tyrese Maxey is playing like he belongs on MVP ballots. Third overall pick VJ Edgecombe looks absolutely ready to be Maxey’s backcourt mate both in the present and future. Edgecombe is a cleaner fit alongside Maxey, so it makes sense to give him on-ball reps to help develop that side of his game. Quentin Grimes is playing well and could definitely still be part of this team’s future at just 25 years old. Joel Embiid and Paul George are still around and the Eastern Conference is a giant mystery box. The Detroit Pistons are in first place in the East and the “supposed to be tanking this season” Boston Celtics are in third. Why shouldn’t the Sixers go out and try to win as many games as they can and see what happens?

Still, it leaves Jared McCain in a weird spot. A 21-year-old guard who had needed just about a dozen games to start dropping 30-spots in the best league in the world would normally be more of a focus. But he’s understandably not. Such a player would ordinarily be someone fan bases would have cemented into the long-term vision board, but McCain honestly seems like the most likely young guy to be traded from this group. All of it is very strange, which, of course, means it’s all very Sixers.

Source: https://www.libertyballers.com/76ers-analysis/82575/jared-mccain-finds-himself-in-a-weird-situation

 

[Philadelphia 76ers]

Paul George set out to look like himself again. So far, he’s doing just that

Amongst many of the goals set by the Philadelphia 76ers to ensure that season wouldn’t be as disastrous as last, was Paul George trying to get back to himself. After a first year in Philly that saw all of his production averages plummet, he wanted to show he could still earn the three years of max contract money the Sixers still owed to him.

“That’s what they signed me for,” George said back at Media Day, “is to come in and be the Paul George that they recruited last summer.”

Obviously, a big determiner in that is health — it’s how George went on to finish that exact sentence. The idea of a bounce back became easier to roll eyes at when George re-aggravated the same knee injury that hampered him from much of last season.

That caused him to miss the first 12 games of this season. Since George has taken the court though, he’s looked a lot more like the player the Sixers signed in the summer of 2024. In his first 10 games this year, he’s already a third of the way to as many 30-point games as he had all of last season, and his season averages look much better as well.

The 17.1 points he’s averaging isn’t quite a full point higher than his 16.2 mark last year, but he’s doing so on one less shot a game and he’s gone from shooting 35% from three last season to a scalding 43% this season.

George’s biggest impact so far since taking the court this season has been his help in stabilizing Philly’s defense. When they started the year 4-0, they did so despite having one of the worst defensive groups in the league. They went out every night trying to outrun and outshoot every team, and they did so for as long as that was able to work.

Not only have they stabilized since then, they’ve actually become a good unit on that end of the floor. Not only are the Sixers a top-10 defense since, they’ve been downright excellent since George has gotten into a rhythm.

Earlier, this very blog discussed the Sixers’ defensive improvement and here, we’ll see just how tied to George that has been. In their last eight games, seven of which George has played in, the Sixers have been second in the league in defensive rating. Per Cleaning the Glass, the Sixers allow only allow 105.9 points per 100 possessions, which would put them in the 95th percentile in the league.

Not only has he added length to the perimeter the team has missed since Kelly Oubre Jr. went down with an injury, George has been the perfect steadying presence for a group that has defensive talent. He’s been captaining the unit while still being able to cause plenty of disruption himself, still averaging 1.4 steals per game.

It’s been particularly fun to watch George and VJ Edgecombe wreak havoc on opposing backcourts together. Per Cleaning the Glass, they only allow 103.1 points per 100 possessions.

How responsible he’s been for the defensive turnaround is more than the proof of life many were asking for him throughout the offseason. His scoring production might be returning to more PG-like performances as well. He’s seemed more comfortable getting to his spots on that end. After stringing together some decent shooting nights, he exploded for 35 points against the Atlanta Hawks Sunday.

George still wants to show the NBA that he still has something left in the tank. Down in Atlanta he talked to Ky Carlin of Sixerswire about fighting the washed allegations, for those interested. There still might not be a lot of folks willing to take on the rest of that contract, but the Sixers don’t need them too. They just need him to look more and more like Paul George again.

Source: https://www.libertyballers.com/76er...like-himself-again-so-far-hes-doing-just-that

 

[Philadelphia 76ers]

The Sixers have improved defensively — and it might be a reason for hope

At 14-11 thru 25 games, there really hasn’t been a lot of noise in the numbers for the Sixers so far as we wait for them to return to action on Friday. Other than the win-loss record, which is where everyone’s eye balls jump to first, a large portion of the team’s statistical profile suggests they are exactly what their record says they are.

There have been some games in which Tyrese Maxey looks like an MVP candidate and/or VJ Edgecombe looks like a Rooke of the Year candidate. There have been other games in which neither of these two things happen and we’re reminded of the disaster that was the 2024-25 season. There have even been a few moments, albeit not many, in which Joel Embiid looks like the player the franchise has long been building around. On certain nights, some of the younger or newer role players step up. The inconsistency of these outcomes leaves Philly right in the middle of the Eastern Conference and if this continues, the Sixers are probably a playoff team, but maybe not good enough to avoid the play-in tournament in the East.

So how can Philly disrupt this pattern in a positive way to reel off an extended stretch of wins that launches it into the upper echelon of what looks like a wide-open Eastern Conference? Well, it all needs to start on the defensive end of the floor. Philadelphia wasn’t great in its last game on defense against Atlanta, but the five games prior to the loss to the Hawks should offer fans some optimism.

In those five games, the Sixers went 4-1 and the one loss was a 112-108 nailbiter against the Lakers. The 112 points scored by Los Angeles were by far the most Philadelphia allowed in this five-game sampling. The other four games were a 121-102 win against Washington, a 99-98 win against Golden State, a comfortable 116-101 victory in Milwaukee and a 115-105 over Indiana.

By now, it should be abundantly obvious that Maxey is going to be the team’s only source of consistent offense. That’s not to slight Edgecombe, who has had a very nice start to his NBA career, but like any rookie, Edgecombe has had nights where he’s still figuring out life as a professional. As we mentioned earlier, these two guards are talented enough to win Philly some games all by themselves, but the next step for the Sixers in becoming a true contending team this year will be finding ways to win in an uglier fashion.

That’s where the team’s recent defensive progress can be a shining light as we wrap up the calendar year. I’ll be the last guy to give Paul George any compliments given how disappointing his tenure has been thus far in Philadelphia relative to the contract he signed with the Sixers. But the veteran wing player continues to at least give the team some solid defense.

Sixers lineups with PG and VJ have been superb defensively: 103.1 Def Rtg overall (327 possessions) and 96.5 in groups without Drummond (170 possessions). Big reason Philly has a top 5 defensive over the last 15 games

— Ben Detrick (@bdetrick) December 15, 2025

Lineups with PG, VJ and Joel are +19.7 with 99.3 Def Rtg (99th percentile). Only 132 possessions and looks like some luck involved, but notable that units with VJ and Joel have struggled to get stops without PG—who currently has Sixers' best defensive on/off by a lot

— Ben Detrick (@bdetrick) December 15, 2025

This has to be the way forward for the Sixers. They have no choice but to take on a strong defensive identity for the remainder of the season and grind out wins perhaps at a slower pace on certain nights. Sure, Philadelphia could get some hot shooting nights from Kelly Oubre when he returns from his knee injury, Quentin Grimes, Jared McCain or maybe even George. But there are going to be plenty of nights where the outside shots aren’t falling.

Of course, you’re relying on George, and probably Embiid, to at least give you steady defensive performances in order for this identity to hold firm for another 57 games plus the postseason. For the season thus far, Philly has a defensive rating of 114.3. That’s not too far off of its 113.3 defensive rating in 2022-23, a season in which it won 54 games and held a 3-2 lead on the Boston Celtics in the second round of the playoffs. For all the jokes that have been made at the Sixers’ expense concerning choke jobs in the second round, I think everyone would sign up for a 3-2 lead in the second round of the playoffs against anyone right now.

Is the defense going to remain as consistent as it’s been recently? Who knows. Are the Sixers going to find enough sources of offense behind Maxey? You’re probably crossing your fingers there. But, there might actually be a path for this team to at least tease fans into believing it can contend this season — and that’s more than we’ve said in a while.

Source: https://www.libertyballers.com/76er...-be-a-reason-for-hope-paul-george-joel-embiid

 

[Philadelphia 76ers]

Sixers Bell Ringer: Paul George notches season-high in Sixers close loss to Hawks

2025-26 Sixers Bell Ringer standings:
Tyrese Maxey – 11
VJ Edgecombe – 2
Andre Drummond – 2
Paul George – 1
Dom Barlow – 1
Adem Bona – 1
Justin Edwards – 1
Joel Embiid – 1
Quentin Grimes – 1
Jared McCain – 1
Kelly Oubre Jr. – 1
Trendon Watford – 1
15th roster spot – 1

---

The Philadelphia 76ers fell 120-117 to the Atlanta Hawks on Sunday evening. It was a tough one in the end. Fortunately, they’ll have a few days off to forget about it.

For the Sixers, Tyrese Maxey was unavailable due to illness, missing his second game in a row. Trendon Watford and Kelly Oubre Jr. also remain sidelined. The Hawks had a flurry of injuries of their own, most notably Trae Young (knee) and Kristaps Porzingis (illness)

Joel Embiid was — perhaps somewhat surprisingly — available for this one. Embiid has not played on just one day’s rest at all this season until this weekend. On Friday evening, the big fella had his best performance of the 2025-26 campaign, dropping 39 points in 32 minutes in the Sixers’ win over the Indiana Pacers.

Though the Hawks held the lead the majority of the game, the Sixers were right there with them just as long. This one, like seemingly every Sixers’ game this season, came down to the wire. Though they had a chance (or two, thanks to an offensive rebound from VJ Edgecombe) to take the lead with under a minute to play, Philadelphia couldn’t capitalize. The officials didn’t help with missing a backcourt violation against the Hawks in the final moments. Maybe I’m just biased, what do you think?

Can someone explain to me how this was NOT called a backcourt violation by the Hawks?

Look at the score! You can't make these officiating mistakes here! pic.twitter.com/jdfOOukfQ5

— Erin Grugan (@eringrugan) December 15, 2025

That being said, if you’re looking for a full game recap, you can find that here!

For now, let’s get to the Bell Ringer. Though it ended in a loss, there were a few impressive performances from Sixers in this one.

Paul George: 35 points, 4 rebounds, 3 assists and 1 block

Paul George is starting to look like… well, Paul George. George was scorching hot to start the second, ripping off nine quick points in the first minute and a half of the period. For the rest of the game, he simply kept the Sixers alive, hitting buckets just when they needed them the most. PG notched a season-high 35 points (his highest mark ever as a Sixer) and was incredibly efficient in doing so, shooting 11-for-21 (52.4%) from the floor, 7-for-10 (70%) from long range and 6-for-6 from the charity stripe.

It hasn’t been particularly flashy all the time, but it doesn’t need to be! George has been making extremely timely buckets time and time again, and is incredibly impactful on defense. What more could you ask for? Looking at performances like this one and his great effort on Friday in the win over the Pacers, the nine-time NBA All-Star is looking like the player that Sixers’ fans have wanted to see.

George finished this one with 35 points, four rebounds, three assists and one block.

Next up is Paul George, who notched a season-high 35 points (his highest mark as a Sixer) vs. Hawks and was incredibly efficient doing so.

35 PTS (11-21 FG, 7-10 3PT), 4 REB, 3 AST, 1 BLK

Here is every PG FG from Sunday night pic.twitter.com/ju2DANvVv0

— Erin Grugan (@eringrugan) December 15, 2025

Joel Embiid: 22 points, 14 rebounds, 1 assist, 1 steal, 2 blocks

Embiid was — somewhat surprisingly — available for Sunday’s contest, on just one day’s rest after dropping 39 points this past Friday. For the first time this season playing on just a single day of rest, the big fella looked pretty good. He is moving more comfortably than we have seen so far this campaign, which is allowing him to not only make more offensive contributions, but to be more active defensively and on the boards. Embiid already had nine rebounds (four offensive) and two blocks by halftime of this one.

He wasn’t incredibly efficient shooting on Sunday but, frankly, the only Sixers that really were efficient against the Hawks were PG and Dominick Barlow. Just by being out on the floor and being the offensive threat opposing teams know he can be is often enough, however, just for the spacing it provides. Embiid being able to chip in +20 points, box out and grab +10 rebounds while putting up some defense (especially on one day’s rest at his current health) is great. It’s about him contributing the ways he can without doing too much that it compromises his body even more, and Embiid seems to be starting to understand what that role is.

Embiid finished this one with his first double-double of the season: 22 points, 14 rebounds (six offensive), one assist, one steal and two blocks.

Last one from Sixers-Hawks: Joel Embiid. This was the first time this season he's played on one day's rest, and he looked pretty good all things considered.

22 PTS, 14 REB (6 OFF), 1 AST, 1 STL, 2 BLK

Notched his first double-double of the season. Here are some highlights pic.twitter.com/2NLNMlPGSk

— Erin Grugan (@eringrugan) December 15, 2025

VJ Edgecombe: 26 points, 6 rebounds, 2 assists, 1 block

VJ Edgecombe was slightly stifled early after picking up two early fouls, but he made up for it later in the game. After putting up seven points in the first half, Edgecombe absolutely took over in the third frame. The rookie scored 17 of the Sixers’ 36 points in the penultimate period, and made it look easy. He went 5-for-7 from the floor in the third, shooting 3-for-3 from long range including a nice step-back.

It’s not always going to be on the level of his 34-point NBA debut, but the rookie is showing more and more his potential to be a star in this league. He is maneuvering through opposing defenses with ease, finding the right spots to take shots, and doesn’t seem to suffer any sort of frustration when things don’t start perfectly in a game for him — all incredible assets in a kid that’s played just 21 NBA contests.

Edgecombe finished this one with 26 points, sinking 9-of-21 (42.9%) from the field including four triples. He also had six rebounds, two assists and a block.

Tough, close loss for the Sixers tonight to the Hawks… but a number of Philly guys had great performances worth looking at. First up, the rookie VJ Edgecombe.

26 PTS, 6 REB, 2 AST, 1 BLK
(17 PTS, 5-7 FG in Q3)

Here are all of Edgecombe's buckets from this one pic.twitter.com/Ul26QA8CxW

— Erin Grugan (@eringrugan) December 15, 2025

Dominick Barlow: 11 points, 7 rebounds, 1 assist, 2 steals, 1 block

I have to give a shoutout to Dominick Barlow here. Maybe his contributions weren’t as massive as PG’s season-high or VJ’s 17-point third, but this guy is constantly battling and, most importantly, knows when to be in the right place at the right time. He continues to impress on defense and rebounding, especially offensive boards — both things this Sixers’ team desperately need more often than not.

Remember, too, that Barlow is currently on a two-way contract with the Sixers. He certainly doesn’t play like a two-way guy. He finished this one with 11 points (4-for-6 field goals, 1-for-1 three-pointers) with seven rebounds (three offensive), an assist, two steals and a block.

Dominick Barlow absolutely deserves a shoutout as he continues to perform above and beyond his two-way contract.

11 PTS (4-6 FG, 1-1 3PT), 7 REB (3 OFF), 1 AST, 2 STL, 1 BLK

He's always in the right place at the right time making the right plays. Here's his best vs. Hawks pic.twitter.com/kHbI3QvTpj

— Erin Grugan (@eringrugan) December 15, 2025

Source: https://www.libertyballers.com/76er...awks-nba-paul-george-joel-embiid-vj-edgecombe

 

[Philadelphia 76ers]

ROTY candidate or not, VJ Edgecombe is a basketball-obsessed winning player

Ben Simmons was the last Sixer to win Rookie of the Year back in 2017-18. Cooper Flagg, Kon Knueppel and Derik Queen are the favorites to win the award in 2025-26.

Flagg, a no-doubter No. 1 overall pick, is picking it up after a tough start to the year with the 10-17 Dallas Mavericks. He recently recorded his first 40-point game and is showing the superstar potential of his game at age 18.

The Charlotte Hornets’ Knueppel, the No. 4 overall pick in the 2025 NBA Draft, is deservedly in the mix. He’s thriving offensively while playing a huge role on an 8-18 team and seemingly nudging LaMelo Ball out as the franchise’s cornerstone.

Then there’s Queen, who is doing his best to make sure people focus on his play more than the exorbitant price New Orleans paid to select him 13th overall. The Pelicans have the worst record in the West at 5-22, but Queen and fellow rookie Jeremiah Fears are providing the fan base hope.

In most seasons, the player with the best stats wins the award. Winning it will look great on a resume. All three of Flagg, Knueppel and Queen appear well on their way to be outstanding NBA players for years to come.

With respect to what that trio has accomplished this season, what VJ Edgecombe is doing on a 14-11 Sixers team with three recent All-Stars is just as, if not more impressive.

How is he doing it?

“I don’t know. I just continue to go back to feel and understanding,” head coach Nick Nurse said after practice Thursday. “He seems to have a feel for what’s needed and what’s going to happen.”

As a 20-year-old who won’t turn 21 until the offseason, Edgecombe has carried himself like a seasoned vet. On and off the court, he never gets too high or too low. If you watched him on the floor and nobody told you he was a rookie, you wouldn’t think he was.

Edgecombe has played in 22 games this season, starting all of them. For the bulk of those games, he’s shared the backcourt with Tyrese Maxey. Maxey is having yet another breakout season. He’s third in the NBA in scoring at 31.5 points per game and looking like an All-NBA performer almost every night.

In the two games Maxey missed recently, Edgecombe scored 22 and 26 points, respectively. For a little perspective, Edgecombe hadn’t scored 20 points since Nov. 19. The 26 points tied his second-highest total, matching the number he hit in the third game of the season back on Oct. 27.

The Sixers still could’ve used Maxey, but Edgecombe’s ability to scale up his scoring helped the team be competitive in both contests.

“I must say, I definitely miss him out there,” Edgecombe said. “He helps take the load off of everyone on the court.”

Nurse was impressed his rookie was able to replicate last Friday’s performance against the Indiana Pacers just two nights later against the Atlanta Hawks.

“He did it great the first night, but this league’s about doing it consistently and all that,” Nurse said. “But I think it was a good learning experience for us and just continue to see varieties of ways we can play or how we gotta play when things happen.“

While he hasn’t played with them as much, Edgecombe has also gotten minutes with seven-time All-Star Joel Embiid and nine-time All-Star Paul George.

The Sixers previously assembled a Big 3 to contend for a championship. When that didn’t come to fruition last season, the tank was on — a tank that ultimately secured the No. 3 overall pick and Edgecombe. Now, he’s playing next to those three max contract players seamlessly.

Edgecombe’s mind doesn’t go to wondering how he’ll fit when everyone is healthy. He thinks about just how good the team can be when that’s the case.

“And now with Joel and P, I just want to see how we gel as a team,” he said. “Having everyone healthy, that’s something we haven’t seen yet. And I feel like we can be really scary, especially with the level Tyrese is playing at this year.”

Think about how difficult it has to be. You’re a 20-year-old kid from The Bahamas, and now you’re playing next to the likes of Maxey, Embiid and George on a team that’s trying to win basketball games. Edgecombe has both stood out and fit in better than anyone could’ve imagined.

Edgecombe’s calling card coming out of Baylor was his freakish athleticism. With the front office’s emphasis on getting younger and more dynamic, Edgecombe was the perfect fit — a point he joked about while referencing the lack of jumping and dunking he’s seen from George and Maxey this season.

But what’s stood out most is Edgecombe’s understanding of the game. He seems to always be in the right place at the right time and has already produced several clutch plays in his short NBA career. He mostly credits simply watching basketball for that ability.

Growing up in The Bahamas, he spent much of his time playing outside, but he said around 2017, 2018, his mom got him an iPad, where he began consuming all the basketball he could.

“I watch a lot of basketball and I have a really good memory too,” he said. “My IQ definitely came from watching basketball. Now, I’m just trying to continue to grow it, get better at it — try to be one of the best players in the league with the best IQ.”

Nurse said Edgecombe’s understanding of the history of the game makes it obvious he’s watched a ton of basketball — to perhaps a maniacal degree.

“He’s watched and absorbed a lot of basketball,” Nurse said. “That’s probably always a big thing. And probably a little bit obsessively. He watched it, he had the bug and he can’t get enough of it.”

Refreshing compared to the last Sixer to win Rookie of the Year.

Source: https://www.libertyballers.com/76er...combe-is-a-basketball-obsessed-winning-player

 

[Philadelphia 76ers]

Joel Embiid ruled out vs. Knicks with illness, knee management

Man, doesn’t it feel like everyone is coming down with something these days?

Joel Embiid initially showed up as questionable for the Sixers’ upcoming matchup against the New York Knicks. He has since been ruled out hours ahead of the game.

Joel Embiid (illness, right injury management) has been ruled OUT for Sixers-Knicks tonight. Was previously questionable with the illness. First time his right knee has been listed on the injury report in a little while.

— Adam Aaronson (@SixersAdam) December 19, 2025

Tyrese Maxey had missed the last two games with an illness as well, but appears to be back as he is no longer listed. It feels like a safe assumption that Embiid caught whatever Maxey was dealing with. It seems like Embiid tried his hardest to give it a go in this one. He was reportedly present for the morning’s shootaround.

Naturally this didn’t come without something to uneasily speculate about. When the Sixers ruled him out, they also threw a “right knee injury management” tag on his listing as well. The right knee hasn’t been listed for Embiid since it caused him to miss nine games in the second half of November.

The fact that this initially wasn’t reported after Embiid played his first game with less than two days of rest is a good sign. Hopefully it’s just a listing the team put out to cross their Ts and dot their Is, but it’s the Sixers, and they’ve had four days off since that game without having to submit an injury report, so who the hell knows. It’s also worth remembering this is a front end of a back-to-back for the Sixers, with that second leg being a home game.

This is a back-to-back for the Knicks as well, and despite this being their second game, they should have most of their guys available. Karl-Anthony Towns and Josh Hart are both listed as probable.

Source: https://www.libertyballers.com/76er...ed-out-vs-knicks-with-illness-knee-management

 

[Philadelphia 76ers]

Sixers Bell Ringer: VJ has his MSG moment in win vs. Knicks

2025-26 Sixers Bell Ringer standings:
Tyrese Maxey – 11
VJ Edgecombe – 2
Andre Drummond – 2
Paul George – 2
Dominick Barlow – 1
Adem Bona – 1
Justin Edwards – 1
Joel Embiid – 1
Quentin Grimes – 1
Jared McCain – 1
Kelly Oubre Jr. – 1
Trendon Watford – 1
15th roster spot – 1

---

The Philadelphia 76ers outlasted the New York Knicks in a thriller at Madison Square Garden on Friday, ending the home team’s seven-game winning streak with a 116- 107 victory.

The Sixers entered the matchup without the services of Joel Embiid (illness/knee), but saw the return of Tyrese Maxey from his two-game absence (illness).

The Sixers hoped to shake off the sour taste in their mouths from Sunday’s heartbreaking loss to the Atlanta Hawks and subsequent online “feud” with the referees.

The talent-filled Sixers backcourt accomplished just that with another clutch performance and finish.

With notable help from Dominick Barlow, Andre Drummond, Adem Bona and Jared McCain, the Sixers were able to fight through a physical Knicks team in a war of attrition.

Let’s see how the stars shined with Bell Ringer.

Tyrese Maxey: 30 points, 6-of-12 3PT, 9 assists, 2 rebounds, 1 steal

Tyrese missed the last two games due to illness but his performance against the Knicks showed no fatigue. He got the three going early with a couple from deep and a floater in the first quarter and never looked back. He was crucial in keeping pace with the Knicks in the second quarter. He added another three, a step-back midrange jumper, and a slam off an interception before halftime.

MAX3Y pic.twitter.com/fJ5YZDXZCX

— Liberty Ballers (@Liberty_Ballers) December 20, 2025

Although the scoring slowed down in the second half, he would hit crucial shots in the fourth that helped the Sixers hold onto their tight lead. His playmaking helped open up opportunities for his teammates, and his defense continues to cash in for a couple steals or deflections a game. His trust in Edgecombe was evident, as throughout the night he dished the ball to the rookie when he was doubled, and more often than not, the right play was made.

VJ Edgecombe: 23 points, 10-of-18 FG, 3-of-6 3PT 4 assists, 3 rebounds, 2 steals, 1 block

Welcome to MSG, VJ Edgecombe. After a slow first half, the rookie put his imprint on the game when it mattered most. In the third quarter, Edgecombe was defending Jalen Brunson the best we have seen from anybody in the league. He caused havoc on defense and converted from all over the court on offense. He only missed one shot and showcased his improvements with his pull up in the midrange.

He kept it going in the fourth quarter, putting together a final three minutes for the ages given the fact he has never played in Madison Square Garden in the NBA — or ever. He would drain a pull up from the free throw line and then drain a deep three the very next possession. Later in crunch time, he threw down a vicious put-back slam and a couple plays later, he stole a loose ball which led to a dagger three from Maxey.

In case you missed it, Valdez Drexel Edgecombe Jr. took the damn game over pic.twitter.com/OcRL9o3Ng7

— Liberty Ballers (@Liberty_Ballers) December 20, 2025

In what was his most well rounded performance of his young career, his most impactful effort came on the defensive end guarding Jalen Brunson. His physicality and balance was a perfect match for the Knicks star, and forced him to give the ball up towards the end of the game.

VJ Edgecombe's value on defense in one clip: pic.twitter.com/qmCjebFVvv

— Drew Peltzman (@dapeltz13) December 20, 2025

Source: https://www.libertyballers.com/76er...-bell-ringer-knicks-vj-edgecombe-tyrese-maxey