Nobody gave the 76ers much of a chance Sunday night.
No Joel Embiid. No Tyrese Maxey. No Kelly Oubre Jr. Three rotation players, including the franchise cornerstone, were scratched from the lineup before tip-off at Xfinity Mobile Arena. Against a Portland Trail Blazers squad that showed up ready to take advantage, Philadelphia had every excuse in the book to fold.
They didn’t.
Quentin Grimes refused to let them.
Grimes Delivers a Career Night When the 76ers Needed It Most
There are moments in an NBA season that define a player — moments that separate guys who show up when the lights are bright from those who disappear when the stakes are high. Sunday night in Philadelphia was one of those moments for Grimes, and he made the most of it.
The guard finished with a season-high 31 points, including a scorching 14 points in the fourth quarter when the 76ers needed every basket. He shot 11-of-22 from the field, went a perfect 8-for-8 from the free-throw line, and added 3 steals for good measure. His fingerprints were all over the final score: 109-103, Philadelphia.
Grimes didn’t carry the load alone, though.
76ers Get Big Nights From Edwards and Edgecombe
Justin Edwards looked completely unbothered by the moment. The young forward scored 21 points on 9-of-14 shooting, going 3-of-5 from three. With nine points in the third quarter alone, Edwards helped the 76ers build a lead that felt decisive — right up until Portland started clawing back.
Then there’s VJ Edgecombe. The rookie has been quietly building toward something, and Sunday night he reached another milestone: 18 points and a career-high 12 rebounds, giving him his third double-double of the season. For a team that was missing so much firepower, Edgecombe’s activity on the glass was the kind of dirty work that wins close games.
These aren’t household names yet. But after Sunday, they should be.
Portland Wasn’t Going Quietly
Give the Trail Blazers credit — they fought hard. Deni Avdija was electric, finishing with 25 points, 6 rebounds, and 9 assists. Jerami Grant added 20 points, and Donovan Clingan quietly racked up 11 points and 15 rebounds in a quietly dominant interior performance.
Portland led by one at halftime, 54-53, and the game had the feel of a toss-up deep into the fourth quarter. The Blazers cut a 14-point deficit to just four with under three minutes to play, putting together a furious 10-0 run that had the sellout crowd of 19,746 suddenly nervous.
But then Edgecombe hit a pull-up jumper. Then Edwards stole the ball and threw down a dunk.
The 76ers Showed Real Character
What’s most striking about this win isn’t the final score — it’s what it says about where this team is mentally.
The 76ers came into Sunday night on the second game of a back-to-back. They were short-handed. They faced a Portland team with nothing to lose and everything to prove. And yet, Philadelphia didn’t just survive. They led by as many as 14 points in the fourth quarter before holding on when things got uncomfortable.
That’s growth. That’s toughness. That’s a team beginning to figure out who it is without its star.
What’s Next for the 76ers
With the win, the 76ers improve to 37-31 on the season, sitting 7.5 games behind the Boston Celtics in the Atlantic Division. They’ll have no time to celebrate — a three-game road trip begins Tuesday in Denver, where a healthy Nuggets team will provide a far stiffer test.
But for one night in Philly, the short-handed 76ers reminded everyone that this team has more depth and more fight than the injury report might suggest.
Grimes, Edwards, Edgecombe. Remember those names.
