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Sixers' VJ Edgecombe reacts to first playoff game in loss to Celtics
TL;DR
The Philadelphia 76ers lost 123-91 to the Boston Celtics in Game 1 of their playoff series. Rookie VJ Edgecombe struggled in his debut, shooting 6-for-16 and missing all five of his three-point attempts.
Key points
- Philadelphia 76ers lost 123-91 to Boston Celtics
- VJ Edgecombe had a rough playoff debut
- Edgecombe shot 6-for-16 and missed all three-point attempts
- 76ers shot 38.9% as a team
- Celtics made 16 three-pointers
Philadelphia 76ersBoston CelticsVJ Edgecombe
BOSTON -- The Philadelphia 76ers fell to the Boston Celtics 123-91 in Game 1 of their Round 1 series on Sunday afternoon. It was a tough game all around as the Sixers did not match the intensity that the Celtics brought to the forefront in this contest.
On a positive note, rookie VJ Edgecombe was able to get some playoff reps under his belt. It was a rough showing in his playoff debut as he shot just 6-for-16 from the floor, 0-for-5 from deep, and had three rebounds and three assists. It was just not a performance many are used to when it comes to Edgecombe, but if there's one thing about this rookie, he always finds a way to bounce back.
"Iām gonna be honest, intensity," Edgecombe said of his first playoff game. "They're a good team. I just think for us, itās just we weren't making shots. Wide open shots. I'm gonna say wide-open. I mean, butt naked open. Just shotsāball going in and out. Like, it's deflating. Especially, against a really good team that's also shooting the ball really well. I mean, my takeaway is they got to win three more. It's on to the next game. My takeaway is that just we gotta be ready to match their intensity. Make it feel more of a playoff game than a regular game."
The Sixers certainly missed their fair share of wide-open looks. The No. 3 overall pick wasn't the only one who struggled to shoot the ball as Philadelphia shot 38.9% as a team compared to 50% for Boston. So, while Edgecombe certainly had some tough moments, the Sixers just couldn't convert on their open looks as they only made four 3-pointers compared to 16 for the Celtics.
"If you think about it, I mean, if you play basketballāI don't care what anybody says," Edgecombe added. "If you play basketball, shots are missing, and everyone is missing shots, not just yourself, but the whole team. Missing lot of shots. Shots that we normally make. If everyoneās just missing all those shots, the whole team, it can become devastated. Especially when, like I said, you're playing against a really good team in the Celtics, that also shoots the lights out."
Q&A
What were VJ Edgecombe's stats in his playoff debut against the Celtics?
VJ Edgecombe shot 6-for-16 from the floor, 0-for-5 from three-point range, and recorded three rebounds and three assists.
How did the Philadelphia 76ers perform as a team in Game 1 against Boston?
The 76ers shot 38.9% from the field and made only four three-pointers compared to the Celtics' 50% shooting and 16 three-pointers.
What did VJ Edgecombe say about the intensity of the playoff game?
Edgecombe noted that the team needed to match the Celtics' intensity and emphasized the importance of making wide-open shots.
