Justin Edwards scored 19 points on 9 of 13 shooting and added four rebounds, two assists, three steals, and two blocks across 31 minutes in the Philadelphia 76ers’ 104-97 win over the Brooklyn Nets Today. He finished as the team’s second-leading scorer behind Quentin Grimes, who posted 28 points.
Edwards was at his best in the third quarter, scoring nine of his 19 points after halftime. His defensive output was equally notable. He posted a game-high three steals and has now recorded at least two steals in four of his last five outings. He has started in each of the 76ers’ last two games and is expected to remain in an elevated role as long as Kelly Oubre Jr., Tyrese Maxey, and Paul George remain sidelined.
What the coaching staff has asked of him
The opportunity came into focus earlier this week when coach Nick Nurse outlined three specific areas where Edwards needs to deliver if he is going to hold onto meaningful minutes in the rotation.
Shooting sits at the top of that list. Nurse identified Edwards’ catch-and-shoot ability as his most valuable contribution to the team. Edwards is converting 36.5% of his catch-and-shoot three-point attempts this season, a rate that provides floor spacing for whoever is running the offense on a given night. Philadelphia has lacked reliable shooting across most of this season, and Edwards has the skill set to address that need when given consistent opportunities.
Defense is the second priority. Nurse made clear that sustained effort away from the ball matters as much as anything Edwards does on offense. For a young player trying to build trust with a coaching staff, defensive consistency has historically been the most direct path to staying in a rotation. Saturday’s game-high steal total was a concrete example of what that looks like in practice.
Rebounding rounds out the three-part directive. With the roster operating well below its full complement of healthy players, Nurse described rebounding as a collective responsibility rather than a role assigned to any single player. Edwards is being asked to crash the glass and contribute in ways that do not show up in highlights but do show up in the outcome.
The context behind the opportunity
The door opened because of an injury list that now reads like the 76ers’ projected starting five. Embiid has been out for eight consecutive games with a right oblique strain. Maxey is sidelined with a right finger tendon injury. Paul George is serving a league suspension. Oubre went down with a left elbow sprain that will keep him out for at least two weeks.
That combination of absences strips the roster of its three highest-profile players and creates wing minutes that Edwards is the most natural candidate to fill. He has the size, the shooting touch, and the defensive tools for the role. What he has lacked this season is the consistency of opportunity that allows a young player to develop rhythm.
A second year that needed a reset
Edwards is averaging 4.8 points per game this season, a significant drop from the 10.1 he posted as a rookie. That first-year production came during a development-focused period when the 76ers prioritized giving younger players reps amid a separate wave of injuries. The stakes were lower, the context was different, and the minutes were more available.
This season, with the team theoretically healthier at the start, Edwards fell out of the regular rotation. His appearances were sporadic and his scoring production fell. Nurse has spoken positively about Edwards’ work ethic and preparation during that stretch, noting that the forward put in significant work to improve even when the minutes were not coming.
Today represented what that work looks like when the opportunity finally arrives.
