VJ Edgecombe\u2019s clutch skills traveled to his first NBA All-Star weekend.\u00a0<\/p>\n
The Sixers\u2019 rookie guard earned the MVP award Friday night in the Rising Stars mini-tournament at Intuit Dome. Edgecombe calmly drained two free throws to give his team a 25-24 win in the final.<\/p>\n
Edgecombe made crucial plays in both the semifinals and final for his team, which had Vince Carter as honorary coach. Spurs assistant coach Corliss Williamson (once a Sixers player) served as head coach.\u00a0<\/p>\n
After drilling his free throws, Edgecombe walked over to All-Star teammate Tyrese Maxey<\/a> on the sideline and celebrated.\u00a0Maxey’s set to participate in both the three-point contest<\/a> Saturday night and the All-Star Game itself on Sunday. <\/p>\n Edgecombe\u2019s late-game heroics were the highlight of his squad\u2019s semifinal win.\u00a0<\/p>\n With his team nearing the target score of 40, Edgecombe sunk two long-range shots. He then sealed the deal, nailing a step-back jumper from the right elbow over Cam Spencer to advance to the final.\u00a0<\/p>\n The 20-year-old wound up scoring his squad\u2019s last 10 points. He finished with a game-high 17 on 6-for-8 shooting and five rebounds.\u00a0<\/p>\n Fifty games into his NBA career, the No. 3 overall pick has already established himself as a player who enjoys crunch time and often thrives at the tail end of tight games. <\/a><\/p>\n