Sixers two-way rookie wing Justin Edwards is emerging for a team in need of silver linings, Keith Pompey of The Philadelphia Inquirer writes. The Philadelphia native scored 25 points on four three-pointers made, along with six rebounds and four assists on Tuesday against the Thunder.
Edwards’ role increased with eight players out for Philadelphia, leading to a career high in minutes played.
“I think he’s really, really improving,” head coach Nick Nurse said. “Again, he gives a really good effort on the defensive end. He’s capable of guarding lots of positions defensively, and he’s got a good feel offensively. Again, the ball finds him because he’s moving to the right place at the right time. I thought he took a good number of threes that were there.”
According to Pompey, Edwards credited the G League with his development this season. Edwards is averaging 6.6 points on 53.1% shooting from the field this season, but that’s come in only 10 games. He didn’t play much to begin the year but logged at least 10 minutes in six of the Sixers’ past seven games. Edwards averaged 9.7 points and 3.5 rebounds in that stretch.
The Sixers signed Edwards to a two-way deal after he went undrafted in 2024. He’s signed to a one-year two-way contract. Philadelphia also has Pete Nance and Jeff Dowtin signed on two-ways.
We have more from the Atlantic Division:
- After losing four straight games and seven of their last nine, the Sixers and Paul George aren’t giving up on what has been a disappointing season, Pompey writes in another story. George says he sees a light at the end of the tunnel with 43 games left in the season. Nurse expressed a similar sentiment, and sent a reminder that the Sixers’ trio of George, Joel Embiid and Tyrese Maxey have only played 10 games together (going 7-3 in those games).
- The Celtics are facing a tough stretch this month despite owning the NBA’s third-best record at 28-12, Adam Himmelsbach of the Boston Globe writes. A double-digit Wednesday loss to the 10-win Raptors emphasized the recent poor play, which has seen the Celtics lose three of their last five by at least 13 points and earn a one-point victory over the 10-win Pelicans.
- Josh Hart continues to prove he’s one of the league’s elite role players, averaging 14.2 points, 9.6 rebounds, 5.7 assists and 1.5 steals while shooting 56.6% from the field and 36.9% from three. As James L. Edwards III of The Athletic observes, that stat line has never been accomplished by a player 6’8″ or shorter, which would make Hart the first if his statistics hold. In fact, the only players in league history to reach those minimum averages are Embiid, Nikola Jokic and Larry Bird.
- The Nets are exactly where they need to be in their rebuild, opines Anthony Puccio of NetsDaily. While their Wednesday 59-point loss to the Clippers was the worst in franchise history, they have a coach in Jordi Fernandez who looks like a long-term solution, along with plenty of cap flexibility, draft capital and young players worth taking further looks at.