Valdez ‘VJ’ Edgecombe continues to impress in his first season in the National Basketball Association (NBA) this season.
The Bahamian rookie guard of the Philadelphia 76ers has now scored 20-plus points in four straight games, and was a significant factor in the Sixers’ latest two victories — 116-107 over the New York Knicks at Madison Square Garden in New York City, New York, on Friday; and 121-114 over another player with Bahamian roots, Klay Thompson, and the Dallas Mavericks, on the second night of a back-to-back, at Xfinity Mobile Arena in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, on Saturday.
Edgecombe had 23 points against the Knicks on Friday, and then matched the second-highest scoring output of his career with 26 against the Mavericks on Saturday. As mentioned, the Sixers won both games, and have won six of their last eight.
Against the Knicks, Edgecombe dropped in 10 of his 18 shots and was 3-of-6 from three-point range. He added six rebounds and four assists, and thrilled the crowd with a couple highlight reel plays. It was his defense on All-NBA point guard Jalen Brunson which really told the story, particularly in the second half when the game was still in the balance. Brunson scored 22 points, but shot just 7-for-22, including 1-for-7 from deep. He converted just one field goal on 10 attempts and scored just six points in the second half.
Edgecomebe, on the other hand, was terrific. His offensive rebound and tip-in two-handed dunk with 1:38 left on the clock closed the door on the Knicks. That basket gave the Sixers a 113-105 lead, and the Knicks got no closer than six points the rest of the way.
The following night against Thompson and the Mavericks, Edgecombe continued to show off his tremendous skills, striking for 26 points. He once again hit 10 shots, recording the first back-to-back double-digit made shots of his short career. Edgecombe was 10-for-21 from the field and 3-of-11 from three-point range.
Thompson had 10 points on 4-for-11 shooting, and 1-for-7 three-point shooting, off the bench for the Mavericks.
In their last four games, 20-year-old rookie Edgecombe has now scored 22, 26, 23 and 26 points for the Sixers. He is averaging 16.0 points, 5.5 rebounds and 4.0 assists while shooting 43.2 from the field and 38.3 percent from three-point range. He has started 24 of 24 games played for the Sixers this season.
Prior to this recent stretch, Edgecombe had not produced back-to-back 20-point games in his career. He now has four straight 20-point games, and seven 20-point games for the season.
Edgecombe and the Sixers will host the Brooklyn Nets at Xfinity Mobile Arena in Philadelphia on Tuesday. That game will get underway at 7 p.m.
Meanwhile, Bahamian big man DeAandre Ayton has sat out the last two games for the Los Angeles Lakers, due to left elbow soreness, and fellow Bahamian Chavano ‘Buddy’ Hield was a healthy scratch for the Golden State Warriors on Saturday, ending a streak of 199 consecutive regular season games played.
Ayton is expected to play in the Lakers’ next scheduled game — Tuesday at 9 p.m. against the Phoenix Suns at Mortgage Matchup Center in Phoenix, Arizona. The 27-year-old starting center of the Lakers is averaging 15.3 points and 9.0 rebounds for the Lakers this season. He has started 23 of 23 games played.
Ayton continues to rank second in the league in field goal percentage, shooting a career-high 71 percent from the field. He is first among players with at least 200 field goal attempts. Rudy Gobert, of the Minnesota Timberwolves, leads the way at 73.3 shooting percent from the field.
Hield has played primarily off the bench for the Warriors this season. He has started just three of 28 games.
The veteran Bahamian shooting guard, who just turned 33 last week, is averaging 7.9 points, 2.5 rebounds and 1.6 assists while shooting 41.3 from the field and 32 percent from three-point range.
Hield and the Warriors will host the Orlando Magic at Chase Center in San Francisco, California, tonight. That game will get underway at 10 p.m.
Edgecombe and the Sixers have a 16-11 win/loss record — fourth in the Eastern Conference of the NBA. Ayton and the Lakers are fourth in the west at 19-8, and Hield and the Warriors are eighth in the west at 14-15.