VJ Edgecombe received stern message from 76ers star in loss to Nuggets

PHILADELPHIA -- When one looks at what Philadelphia 76ers rookie VJ Edgecombe was able to do in Monday's overtime loss to the Denver Nuggets, they will see that he did what he normally does. He started slow, and contributed in other areas, before shaking it off to make big plays after halftime on both ends.

Edgecombe scored all 17 points in the second half against the Nuggets and made a slew of big 3-pointers and defensive plays down the stretch of regulation and in the overtime session. He also had nine assists and eight rebounds along with two blocks.

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After going scoreless in the first half, it was impressive to see him respond in such a fashion, and it came after a stern message from star big man Joel Embiid.

"I told him at halftime, I asked him if he was taking a day off," Embiid stated. "He needs to start from the beginning of the game, but the game is not just about scoring. I think he was also much better in the second half. Just guarding defensively. We got a lot of guys. Some nights you might not get the ball. So, some nights, any of us could have zero points at halftime, but you can still find a way to impact the game."

Edgecombe did have four assists and three rebounds at halftime despite going 0-for-5 from the floor and 0-for-3 from deep, but Embiid demanded more from him in his message. The rookie had a tough time on the defensive end of the floor against Denver's perimeter players and all of that changed in the second half as Edgecombe helped the Sixers go on a run with his defensive ability.

"I thought in the second half, he was great," Embiid said. "Especially, when he locked in. I don't even care about what he brought offensively. I thought defensively, when we made a run, he was just a game changer, making the right plays on offense. That's why I asked if he was taking a day off today. From there, it kind of changed. So, yeah, I mean, to answer your question is a good thing, but you don't really want to put yourself in those positions to kind of wait for the game to get to that point. And like I said, by that time, they had the freedom to just do whatever they want."

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It's those messages from Embiid and others that allow Edgecombe to stay focused on the task at hand and give the Sixers a big boost on either end of the floor in crunch time. It's why the No. 3 overall pick ahs been such a helpful piece to this team on a nightly basis despite being so young.

"My teammates help me a lot," Edgecombe added. "I'll be honest. I mean, I know I work hard, but my teammates help me a lot hey keep telling me to make big shots. To be honest, I make sure I make big shots. Hopefully, I continue doing that."

The Sixers were unable to come up with the win over the Nuggets and will look to bounce back on Wednesday when they play host to the Washington Wizards.

This article originally appeared on Sixers Wire: VJ Edgecombe received stern message from 76ers star in loss to Nuggets