NBA: 76ers dynamic duo ready for staunch Nets defense

After the Philadelphia 76ers’ most recent game, rookie VJ Edgecombe made a bold statement, saying he and Tyrese Maxey can become “one of the greatest backcourts ever.”

The Sixers’ dynamic duo will look to deliver another strong showing on Tuesday when Philadelphia hosts the Brooklyn Nets.

Maxey is enjoying a career year and ranks among the NBA’s leading scorers at 31.7 points per game. He is also averaging a career-high 7.1 assists. Edgecombe has been a reliable complement in his rookie season, contributing 16.0 points and 4.0 assists per contest while showcasing his athleticism and versatility.

“We have a lot of variety in what we can do,” Maxey said. “We’ve got a lot of guys that like playing for each other, a lot of guys that can shoot the ball, a lot of guys that can play-make. And at the end of the day, we’re going to compete.”

Edgecombe is aiming to score at least 20 points for the fifth consecutive game. Over his last four outings, he has totaled 97 points while committing just five turnovers.

“To be honest, I do not know,” Edgecombe said when asked about his recent surge. “But I think I’m going to say it was the rest. I think I needed the rest to recenter myself. It’s a long season. That little (NBA Cup) rest helped a lot, to be honest. Just trying to get back into the flow of things, be more confident, and continue working hard.”

In Saturday’s 121-114 victory over the Dallas Mavericks, Maxey poured in 38 points while Edgecombe added 26. Philadelphia has now won six of its last eight games.

Brooklyn, meanwhile, is starting to gain attention for its defense in a league where scoring has been at a premium. The Nets’ last three opponents have averaged just 89.7 points, and Brooklyn allowed a season-low output in Sunday’s 96-81 win over the Toronto Raptors.

“Just doing what we do better,” Nets center Nic Claxton said of the team’s defensive improvement. “Our defense has been pretty solid this past month. It’s been really good. We’ve got a lot of switchable defenders, and while there are still areas we can improve, we’re heading in the right direction.”

Michael Porter Jr. led Brooklyn with 24 points and 11 rebounds against Toronto. He is averaging 28.7 points and 7.6 rebounds this month while shooting 51.4 percent from the field and 47.2 percent from beyond the arc.

Still, the focus after the game centered on the Nets’ defensive turnaround.

“We didn’t start the season well defensively at all,” Nets head coach Jordi Fernandez said. “It was very poor, and we didn’t buy into a lot of things. Obviously, we’ve evolved and made some adjustments.”

Tuesday’s matchup marks the third meeting between the teams this season. The first two games were played last month in Brooklyn, where Philadelphia earned wins of 129-105 and 115-103. Maxey averaged 24.0 points in those contests, while Quentin Grimes contributed 20.5 points per game for the Sixers. -Field Level Media/Reuters