76ers rookie VJ Edgecombe out at least 1 game with bruised back

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PHILADELPHIA (AP) — VJ Edgecombe will miss Wednesday's game against Utah with a low back bruise suffered by the 76ers’ star rookie a night earlier on a hard fall.

The Sixers said Edgecombe would be evaluated again ahead of Saturday's game at Atlanta.

Edgecombe was fouled by San Antonio's Carter Bryant on a 3-point attempt on Tuesday night and grimaced as he was helped up by his teammates. Edgecombe stayed in the game and went 2 of 3 from the free-throw line.

With the 76ers down 78-53 at halftime, Edgecombe did not return. He scored six points.

The No. 3 pick in the draft, Edgecombe, the MVP of the 2026 Rising Stars game, is one of three rookies in the NBA this season averaging at least 15.0 points, 5.0 rebounds, and 3.0 assists per game. He ranks first among rookies in steals (1.5), while ranking third in scoring (15.3), tied third in assists (3.9), and seventh in rebounds (5.5).

The 76ers also will play without Joel Embiid as he sits out the final game of a scheduled three straight games off with a strained right oblique.

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