PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA – OCTOBER 17: VJ Edgecombe #77 talks to Tyrese Maxey #0 of the Philadelphia 76ers during a game between the Philadelphia 76ers and Minnesota Timberwolves at Xfinity Mobile Arena on October 17, 2025 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Emilee Chinn/Getty Images)
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The Philadelphia 76ers enter Friday night’s rivalry clash with the Boston Celtics tied for the best record in the Eastern Conference. They’re 4-0 start is only matched by the Chicago Bulls. That includes a 117-116 win over the Celtics at TD Garden in their season opener.
That victory made it clear that the Sixers have the talent to be one of the top teams in a wide-open Eastern Conference. It also provided what this author views as more of a reiteration than a revelation. The path forward for Philadelphia is to build through its new backcourt.
Tyrese Maxey and VJ Edgecombe aren’t just the future foundation; they’re the franchise’s present. The duo is averaging 93 points per game, the most of any tandem in the league, per NBA.com.
If Joel Embiid and Paul George can help elevate this team, perhaps leading to the 76ers representing the East in the NBA Finals for the first time since Allen Iverson led them there in 2001. The former is averaging 16.3 points and 5.0 rebounds in three appearances. The latter is rehabbing a knee injury and has yet to make his season debut.
Despite the size of their contracts, status in the league, and Embiid’s run as the face of the franchise, they are complementary pieces. The primary approach does and should revolve around the speed and athleticism of Maxey and Edgecombe.
The 76ers’ foundational backcourt
Four games in, Maxey has made it abundantly clear that he has leveled up. He leads the NBA in scoring, generating 37.5 points per contest. He’s fifth in assists, dishing out 8.3 per tilt, and the fifth-year guard is tied for fourth in total threes made, knocking down 18.
Despite playing with five fouls, Maxey was at the heart of the Sixers’ swinging momentum on opening night, erasing a 10-point deficit. His 40 points and six assists were game highs. The former Kentucky star also swiped two steals and registered a rejection.
Edgecombe erupted for 34 points in the victory. That’s the most in a Sixers debut since Wilt Chamberlain scored 43 in 1959, per ESPN. He also grabbed seven rebounds and doled out three assists.
For the season, he is stuffing the stat sheet, averaging 22.3 points, 5.8 rebounds, 5.5 assists, and 1.5 steals.
The third-overall pick in this year’s NBA Draft turned 20 in July. Maxey is about to turn 25. Both are burgeoning stars that should have the chance to form a beloved backcourt in Philadelphia for years to come. What they’re showing is that they aren’t waiting for the 76ers to hand them the keys; they’ve already taken them.
