The Philadelphia 76ers needed a stop to their slide and a star to step forward. They got both in Memphis — and from a rookie. With 1.7 seconds left in overtime, VJ Edgecombe rose on the right wing and buried a 25-footer, sealing a 139-136 win that snapped a three-game losing streak and silenced a loud FedExForum on Tuesday night.

For a tight game that swung back and forth for 53 minutes, it was a cool, clean shot from a first-year guard that made all the difference. The Grizzlies, now on a two-game skid, had clawed back behind a blistering fourth quarter from Ja Morant, but the final word belonged to the new kid in Philly.

The shot that stopped the skid

Philadelphia led 103-100 going into the fourth, and Edgecombe — the third overall pick in June out of Baylor — helped push it to 124-118 near the four-minute mark. Memphis wasn’t done; Morant willed the game level at 128 in the final minute to force overtime. In the extra session, the teams traded blows until the ball found Edgecombe beyond the arc. He rose, he fired, and the net barely moved. 1.7 seconds left. Game.

Edgecombe finished with 25 points, 13 of them in the fourth quarter when the heat was highest. The moment matched the call from the highlight reel afterward: “When the moment is his brightest, so is he.” For the Sixers, it wasn’t just a win. It felt like a reveal.

“Is VJ Edgecombe already Philly’s closer?”

Maxey and Embiid set the pace early

The rookie’s heroics came after the Sixers’ stars built the platform. Tyrese Maxey and Joel Embiid each scored 34 points, combining for 43 in the first half alone (Maxey 24, Embiid 19). They kept pace in a half where both teams shot better than 50%, racing to a 72-72 tie at the break.

Maxey’s speed and Embiid’s size stressed Memphis in different ways. Maxey beat the defense in transition and off the bounce. Embiid bruised in the paint and stepped out when needed. Together, they steadied the team on a night when every possession felt weighted.

Morant’s late blaze and Memphis’ mixed bag

On the other side, Ja Morant lit up the fourth quarter. He poured in 18 in the period and finished with 40, a reminder that he can flip a game with pace and pressure. He pushed the Grizzlies back from down six to level the scoreboard late in regulation, and he was the engine again in overtime.

Memphis also got a big night from Cedric Coward, who posted career highs with 28 points and 16 rebounds. Santi Aldama added 15, and Jaren Jackson Jr. delivered 15 points and 12 boards. The Grizzlies were efficient from deep, hitting 9-of-17 threes.

But the costs showed up in the margins. Memphis committed 11 turnovers, a tough tax in a one-possession game. Those extra chances gave the 76ers just enough oxygen to stay even when Morant surged.

“Memphis won the three-ball, lost the turnover battle.”

Edgecombe’s arrival moment

Rookies aren’t supposed to own the last shot on the road against a former All-NBA guard. Edgecombe didn’t flinch. The No. 3 pick out of Baylor showed calm all night, then stepped into the biggest shot like it was a practice rep.

He didn’t carry the whole load — not with Maxey and Embiid each at 34 — but his 13-point fourth quarter was the spark when Philly needed legs. It says something when veterans trust a first-year player to take the ball late. It says more when the player rewards that trust with a winner.

That’s how long seasons pivot: not just on one shot, but on who’s willing to take it. If the Sixers needed a fresh closer to add to their stars, Tuesday felt like a preview.

“Maxey and Embiid cooked; the rookie served the last course.”

By the numbers: 76ers 139, Grizzlies 136 (OT)

• Quarter scores: 76ers 34-38-31-25-11; Grizzlies 40-32-28-28-8.
• First half: Both teams shot 50%+; tied 72-72 at halftime.
• Philadelphia leaders: Maxey 34 (24 in 1H); Embiid 34 (19 in 1H); Edgecombe 25 with the game-winning 25-footer.
• Memphis leaders: Morant 40 (18 in 4Q); Coward 28 pts, 16 reb (career highs); Jackson Jr. 15 pts, 12 reb; Aldama 15 pts.
• Key team stats: Memphis 9-of-17 from three; 11 turnovers.

Why it matters now

The win bumps the 76ers to 17-14 (.548), ending a three-game skid and easing the pressure as they continue a five-game road trip. Next up: Dallas on Thursday, a tough backcourt test for Maxey and another chance for Edgecombe to show late-game calm.

For Memphis, the loss drops the Grizzlies to 15-18 (.455). The good news: Morant looks like a storm again, and Coward’s leap is real help on the glass. The concern: turnovers, and the late-game spacing around Morant. A two-game swing in Los Angeles awaits, with meetings against the Lakers on Friday and Sunday.

“Great stars on both sides — but one clean look decided it.”

The last word

Games like this often come down to who makes one shot. The Sixers had three big scorers, and the Grizzlies had the loudest scorer. Edgecombe, the rookie, had the final say. His 25-footer with 1.7 seconds left didn’t just win the night; it hinted at what Philadelphia could be when the ball finds the right hands late.

Memphis showed fight and star power. Philly showed layers. And in a league that rewards late-game nerve, that edge can turn a losing streak into a launch point.