The Philadelphia 76ers were dealt another bad injury hand, with third-overall pick V.J. Edgecombe being the latest victim. The Baylor product left last night’s matchup with the Spurs after a hard foul on a three-point attempt right before halftime. Edegcombe has now been ruled out for tonight’s contest with the Utah Jazz and has been diagnosed with a lumbar contusion.
This puts a brief halt to what has been a stellar rookie season for the defensive-minded guard. Edgecombe has suited up for 57 of the Sixers’ 61 games, posting averages of 15.3 points, 5.5 rebounds, 3.9 assists and 1.5 steals, while shooting 36.1% from beyond the three-point arc. He has become a staple of the Sixers’ short-term and long-term future, ranking eighth in the NBA in minutes per game.
In a different season, there would likely be a clear path to Edgecombe earning Rookie of the Year for his strong play. But he trails Kon Knueppel (-160) and Cooper Flagg (+130) on DraftKings Sportsbook, holding +10000 odds himself.
But the show must go on for the Philadelphia 76ers, who have lost some significant steam from their strong start to the year. They hold a half-game lead for the sixth seed in the Eastern Conference and will be taking on the Utah Jazz tonight.
Looking at the odds, the Sixers are 8.5-point favorites for the matchup. The Jazz hold +300 odds of pulling off the outright upset, with the game total set at 237.5.
Stay tuned to DK Network for live updates surrounding Edgecombe’s outlook and other notable players moving forward.
