BOSTON -- Back in October, the Philadelphia 76ers opened up their season at TD Garden against their Eastern Conference rivals, the Boston Celtics, and rookie VJ Edgecombe had a performance for the ages.
Tuesday night, with Philadelphia's season on the line, Edgecombe did it again.
His spectacular 30-point, 10-rebound performance was the first by a rookie since Tim Duncan accomplished the feat in 1998. Edgecombe's also the youngest player to put up those numbers in NBA postseason history, surpassing previous record-holder Magic Johnson.
Along with the help of 29 points and key late shotmaking from Tyrese Maxey, the 76ers rode Edgecombe's game to a stunning 111-97 victory over the Celtics to even the first round series at one game apiece.
"I mean, [Edgecombe's] been impressive all season long," said Paul George, who added 19 points of his own. "When you think about it, how he started his first NBA game here in this building, and I'm sure he was in a small percentage, or a small group of players that did what he did on opening night, and then to put a whole season together and get to this point where he's showcasing who he is and his abilities...
"I've been saying it all year long: he's far surpassed being a rookie."