The Philadelphia 76ers may have walked away with a 99-98 victory over the Golden State Warriors, but if you ask Tyrese Maxey, he wasn’t the one who saved the game; rookie VJ Edgecombe did. Maxey’s chase-down block at the buzzer has already been replayed across social media and national highlights, but in the 76ers’ locker room afterward, the All-Star guard made sure the spotlight didn’t stay on him alone.

Instead, he pointed directly to the rookie who scored the go-ahead basket in the final seconds, and did it after hustling for a loose ball that looked completely out of reach.

“We know he can score, we know he can pass, but he does things that don’t show up in the box score all the time,” Maxey said, praising Edgecombe’s instinct and effort.

“He made a hell of a play. For him to be able to go out there and track the ball, and tip it in like that? That was a great play.”

Edgecombe’s tip-in put Philadelphia ahead for good, setting up the dramatic final defensive possession.

While Maxey earned the crowd-freezing moment with his block on former teammate De’Anthony Melton, he made it clear afterward that the 76ers aren’t in a position to survive that play without Edgecombe’s hustle.

The win pushes the Sixers to 12-9, and head coach Nick Nurse continues to lean on a lineup that blends veteran stars with emerging young talent.

Thursday night showed exactly why Edgecombe is quickly earning trust: he filled the box score with 10 points, 6 rebounds, 5 assists, and 3 steals, impacting the game on both ends.

Philadelphia’s starters, including Joel Embiid, Quentin Grimes, Dominick Barlow, Maxey, and Edgecombe, carried the load, while the bench contributed stability.

The Sixers may remember the block as the highlight, but Maxey wants everyone to remember the play before it.

“VJ saved us,” he said with a smile. “I just made sure it counted.”