Rookie VJ Edgecombe knocked down a 3-pointer with 2.2 seconds remaining in overtime, lifting the Philadelphia 76ers to a 139-136 victory over the host Memphis Grizzlies on Tuesday.
Tyrese Maxey and Joel Embiid led the 76ers with 34 points apiece and Edgecombe finished with 25, including 13 in the fourth quarter. Embiid added 10 rebounds and eight assists while Maxey dished out 12 assists as the 76ers snapped a three-game losing streak.
Ja Morant led the Grizzlies with 40 points — 18 in the fourth quarter and six in OT — and rookie Cedric Coward added career highs of 28 points and 16 rebounds. Morant made 16 of 22 shots while Coward hit 10 of 15. Coward’s 3-point try to tie the game at the overtime buzzer fell short.
The Grizzlies scored the final seven points of the fourth quarter — a four-point play from Jaren Jackson Jr. and two baskets by Morant — to send the game to overtime.
In the extra period, Memphis jumped to a 132-128 lead on baskets by Morant and Jaylen Wells, but a layup from Paul George tied the game at 134 with 1:49 left. Embiid followed with a 15-footer 31 seconds later. Morant tied the game at 136 on a left-handed layup with 18.3 seconds to go before Edgecombe drained the game-winner.
Embiid missed the team’s previous game, a 129-104 loss to the Oklahoma City Thunder on Sunday, due to a right ankle sprain. The former NBA Most Valuable Player was appearing in only his 14th game of the season on Tuesday.
The game remained close throughout the third quarter. The Grizzlies pushed ahead 90-81 on a 3-pointer by Wells. However, the 76ers rallied behind a 15-4 run for a 96-94 lead on a fastbreak basket from Quentin Grimes with 3:58 left in the third. A tip-in by Maxey with 2.9 seconds remaining in the quarter put the 76ers up 103-100.
Both teams set a torrid pace in the first half, which ended in a 72-all tie.
Memphis shot 65.2% in the opening quarter and 54.5% for the half. Philadelphia hit 52.1% in the first half, led by Maxey’s 24 points on 9-of-10 shooting. Maxey made four of his five 3-point attempts in the opening 24 minutes. Embiid had 19 points at the break.
The Grizzlies scored a season-high-tying 40 points in the first quarter. Coward had 17 points and nine rebounds at the half.
Memphis had gone 7-3 against Philadelphia in the previous 10 meetings.
–Field Level Media
