Getty Sixers guards Shake Milton and Tyrese Maxey battle for the ball during a game versus New York in 2020.
Philadelphia 76ers head coach Doc Rivers isn’t waiting for Ben Simmons to walk through the gym door. His team needs a starting point guard, a new floor general to push the pace and knock down three-pointers. Right now, it’s a two-man race.
Shake Milton got the start against the Toronto Raptors on Thursday (Oct. 7), three days after Tyrese Maxey led the first unit versus the same opponent. Both guys flashed what they do well: Milton is arguably the better shooter and defender, with Maxey more equipped to dictate tempo and get downhill. Those guys have been battling hard at training camp.
“I mean, those two guys been going at it at training camp, competing, both are huge pieces to our team,” forward Tobias Harris told reporters. “Both are different types of guards as well, but I think overall we need both of those guys to be confident and play their game. Whomever starts, it is what it is. Both those guys are important to our unit.”
Milton struggled early in his tryout, including slipping and turning the ball over. Once he got his nerves under control, the man known as “Sniper Shake” ran the pick-and-roll game to perfection. He finished with five points and four dimes in 25 minutes (+2). He was 1-of-2 from deep.
Does this look familiar? Shake Milton and the #Sixers second unit ran it a ton last season with Dwight Howard. Nice PnR between Milton and Drummond.
“I liked him, thought he played well,” Rivers said of Milton. “Thought he settled down after he struggled early, and really played well. Yeah, I mean it’s a competition.”
Maxey came off the bench and scored 14 points with five assists in 21 minutes (+22). He had one highlight-reel play when he drove the lane and drew the foul while heaving up a prayer that went in for the three-point opportunity. All the lifting he did in the offseason paid off on that one. Rivers liked what he saw from Maxey, but he doesn’t want to pick a starter.
“We’re just going to get through camp and let them both play,” Rivers said. “And I don’t know if this is a team where there’s a starting lineup. It’s just going to be different guys on nights and that’s how we’re going to play.”
weight room @TyreseMaxey has entered the chat.
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Looking to Trade for New Point Guard?
Rivers was asked if the Sixers might pull the trigger on a trade for a shiny new point guard. There has been recent chatter about them sending Simmons to the Indiana Pacers in exchange for Caris LeVert and Malcolm Brogdon. The latter can man the point, but he’s more of a combo guard.
For now, Rivers is just coaching the guys on the roster. He’s in no rush to add another piece to the puzzle.
“I’m fine. If we get one, great. I don’t worry about what we don’t have,” Rivers said. “You’re talking to the wrong guy. We’re going to win with what we have, that’s the way I’ve always thought. There’s a lot of guys that can play and you figure it out.
“There’s a lot of teams, a lot of teams, that don’t have true point guards. And you can name them, harder to name the ones that do, but you play with the guys you have and you play your offense that way.”
Isaiah Joe Shines in Second Preseason Game
One guy who almost stole the show in the second preseason game – Georges Niang took the top honor – was Isaiah Joe. The second-year guard out of Arkansas was phenomenal during his time with the second unit. Joe dropped 15 points in 22 minutes while going 3-of-4 from three-point land. More impressively, he was manic on the defensive end where he aims to make his bones.
I really liked Isaiah Joe’s defense as a rookie and he’s continuing to impress there in preseason.
Lots of good stuff from him yesterday. Active and in the right spots to break up plays off the ball, 2 steals, 1 nice block, and good competitiveness and discipline on the ball.
“I always predicate my game on my defense because I’m already undersized,” Joe said. “People think they can abuse me on the defensive end so I gotta really step up to the plate and really take pride in my defense.”
The only knock on Joe was that maybe he was too aggressive at times. He picked up three personal fouls.
“We get our points from our defense,” Joe said, “and I’m not going to come into the game and be a liability.”
Isaiah Joe from DEEP 🎯
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