BOSTON (AP) 鈥� Paul George was in the middle of heaping praise on teammate and 76ers rookie in Philadelphia鈥檚 111-97 Game 2 win over Boston, when he realized he wasn鈥檛 even sure about something.
鈥淎re you 21 yet?鈥� George turned and asked Edgecombe during their postgame news conference.
鈥淣o, 20,鈥� Edgecombe responded with a smirk.
Nobody鈥檚 laughing about the elite company that the 76ers鈥� third overall pick in last June鈥檚 draft put himself into during just his .
鈥淚 just try not to overthink it,鈥� Edgecombe said. 鈥淚 try not to put pressure on myself. Everybody鈥檚 already putting pressure on us to perform. … Plus, I鈥檓 around a great group of guys. That also helps me. Just keep instilling confidence in me. Just to keep going, keep going. Regardless of who鈥檚 on the floor, who鈥檚 not on the floor.鈥�
Edgecombe finished with 30 points and 10 rebounds to become the first rookie to record at least 30 points and 10 rebounds in a playoff game since Tim Duncan on May 5, 1998.
He also became the first rookie history to post five 3-pointers and 10 rebounds in a playoff game. It was a bounce-back performance after a Game 1 in which he finished with just 13 points on 6-of-16 shooting.
George said it鈥檚 the culmination of something they first saw glimpses of in the Bahamas native when Edgecombe scored 34 points in his first pro game in Philadelphia鈥檚 one-point opening night win in Boston.
鈥淲hen you think about it how he started his first NBA game in this building, I鈥檓 sure he was in a small percentage or small group of players that what he did on that opening night,鈥� George said.
Edgecombe鈥檚 opening-night performance was the third-most points for an NBA player in his first game. Wilt Chamberlain scored 43 points in his debut in 1959 for the Philadelphia Warriors and also had 28 rebounds that night against New York. Frank Selvy scored 35 points for the Milwaukee Hawks against Boston in 1954.
Allen Iverson held the Sixers鈥� record with 30 points in his debut in 1996.
Edgecombe鈥檚 14 first-quarter points on opening night were also the most ever for a player鈥檚 first NBA quarter. That record had been set by LeBron James in 2003.
Edgecombe finished the regular season averaging 16.0 points in 75 games.
And he鈥檚 done it with a flair that is in some ways reminiscent of the fun-loving style that Iverson exuded during his 76ers鈥� tenure.
In Tuesday鈥檚 win, after knocking down his final basket of the night 鈥� a deep 3-pointer over Payton Pritchard to put Philadelphia in front 105-92 after Boston had gotten within 91-89 鈥� Edgecombe as he jogged back down the court.
George said it鈥檚 just a taste of what’s to come from Edgecombe.
鈥淭o put a whole season together and get to a point where he鈥檚 showcasing who he is and his abilities. I鈥檝e been saying all year long he鈥檚 far past a rookie,鈥� George said. 鈥淚t鈥檚 just impressive, man. (Edgecombe had) 30 and 10, but it鈥檚 just what we needed in the moments throughout the game when he took over, and kind of just put us at ease.鈥�
Tuesday wasn鈥檛 all fun for Edgecombe, though. He did take a hard fall on his back early in the game that resulted in him limping to the locker room in both the first and third quarters.
But Edgecombe shrugged off any notion that his fall will hinder him going forward in this series.
鈥淚 just landed on my back, but I鈥檓 good. I was able to finish the game so I鈥檓 good,鈥� he said. 鈥淭hat鈥檚 all I鈥檝e got for you. I鈥檓 good, ain鈥檛 nothing wrong with me. I鈥檓 good.鈥�
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