There’s an invisible thread connecting October in Philadelphia to its most intense April. It all started at the TD Garden on opening night, and it all came full circle there last night, when the Philadelphia 76ers already felt their backs against the wall.

With the season on the line and without Joel Embiid, rookie VJ Edgecombe delivered a historic performance for the Sixers and the NBA: 30 points and 10 rebounds to take down Boston (111-97) and tie the series.

Massive numbers. To find a rookie capable of such a playoff double-double, you have to go back to 1998, to the days of Tim Duncan. But Edgecombe went even further, becoming the youngest ever to reach those marks in the postseason, taking the record from Magic Johnson.

Paul George’s praise: “He’s not a Rookie anymore”

The impact of Edgecombe is best captured by his teammates’ words. Paul George, who was instrumental in Philly’s win with 19 points, didn’t hold back:

He’s been impressive all season. If you think about how he started here in his first NBA game and the journey he’s taken to get to this point… I’ve said it all year: he stopped being a rookie a long time ago

Paul George

Despite two scary falls that forced him to briefly head to the locker room during the game, the guard coached by Nick Nurse returned without physical issues. As Boston tried to clog the paint with its “drop defense,” Edgecombe and Tyrese Maxey (29 points on 11-of-28 shooting) feasted from beyond the arc.

But the key to the performance is found in Edgecombe’s own words: confidence bordering on fearless instinct.

We knew exactly where the shots would come from and where the help defense would be. I have to thank my teammates – we kept trusting each other. Everyone on the floor can make a play. I was in the right spot, they wanted me to shoot, and it wouldn’t have been right not to. I had to knock down those open looks, also to create assists for my teammates

VJ Edgecombe

The passing of the torch

When the Celtics made a last push in the fourth quarter, cutting the lead to two, it was Maxey who sealed the game with back-to-back threes. But the point guard made sure to credit his co-star:

VJ did his job. He carried us to that point. Then, when the lead shrank, I knew it was my moment to close it out

Tyrese Maxey

For Boston, it was a familiar nightmare: a disastrous 13-of-50 from three-point range. Despite 36 points from a relentless Jaylen Brown and a near triple-double from Jayson Tatum (19+14+9), the Celtics once again find themselves dealing with mental lapses in key moments.

Now the series shifts to Philadelphia, and if this is any indication, the 76ers have found much more than just a rookie.