The Philadelphia 76ers’ offense has been firing on all cylinders to begin the 2025-26 NBA season, with Tyrese Maxey and VJ Edgecombe powering their shorthanded squad to a perfect 3-0 record. With their latest standout offensive display in Monday’s 136-124Â home win over the Orlando Magic, the electric backcourt tandem etched their names into the history books.
Maxey finished with a game-high 43 points, four rebounds, eight assists and four 3-pointers, shooting 15-for-32 (46.9%), marking his second 40-point outing in three appearances. The one-time All-Star came up big down the stretch, scoring eight straight points for the 76ers in the final minutes to ice the game.
Meanwhile, Edgecombe chipped in 26 points, four rebounds, seven assists, one steal, one block and two triples, shooting 10-for-17 (58.8%), continuing his eye-popping start to his rookie campaign. He and Maxey thrived in the absence of stars Joel Embiid (knee) and Paul George (knee), fueling optimism about Philadelphia’s future.
How Historic Are Tyrese Maxey and VJ Edgecombe’s Early-Season Performances?
According to ESPN’s Tim Bontemps, Maxey and Edgecombe’s 186 combined points thus far are the “most points by any starting backcourt through any team’s first three games of a season since starters were first tracked in 1970-71.”
Additionally, per BetMGM, Edgecombe (75 points) is the “first player this century with 75-plus points in his first three career games.” The explosive No. 3 pick has taken considerable strides as an at-rim finisher and shot creator since his lone college season at Baylor, quieting any concerns about his ability to be a high-impact two-way contributor.
The 20-year-old has already earned the trust of Maxey and his 76ers teammates, establishing himself as one of the 2026 NBA Rookie of the Year frontrunners.
“He’s been poised,” Maxey said. “… He’s playing extremely aggressive, only had two turnovers tonight, had the ball in his hands a lot. We all trust him. So, we gotta keep playing that way. But yeah, his defense has been great, his patience has been great, and he’s scoring the ball at a high level.”
#Sixers star Tyrese Maxey on VJ Edgecombe after the win tonight: pic.twitter.com/pexIfvXyCj
— Ky Carlin (@Ky_Carlin) October 28, 2025
Following Monday’s win, Philadelphia (3-0) is one of two undefeated teams remaining in the Eastern Conference, tied with the Chicago Bulls (3-0). Maxey and Co. should have a prime opportunity to continue their early-season success in Tuesday’s road clash against the rebuilding Washington Wizards (1-2).
With Maxey taking another step as an offensive catalyst and Edgecombe exceeding the hype, the 76ers could emerge as an East dark horse at full strength. Regardless, the franchise appears well-positioned for its post-Embiid era.
