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Don’t look now but the Philadelphia 76ers may be turning a corner. The flurry of injuries to Joel Embiid, Tyrese Maxey, and James Harden has not sunk the team in the way it was feared, as the team is playing with a newfound joy and energy of late. This was put on full display during the most recent 133-103 victory over the Orlando Magic. The victory was the second straight over the Magic as the two teams also faced off on Friday. This now marks the 10th consecutive win over Orlando which is the second-longest streak for the Sixers against another franchise. They also have beaten the Bulls in 12 consecutive matchups.
The 133 points produced is the Sixers’ highest scoring mark on the season well as the largest margin of victory for the team thus far. They did a bulk of their damage around the basket as Philadelphia scored 72 points in the paint which is also a season-high. This also contributed to the team shooting 64.9% from the field which is the best shooting percentage in a game the Sixers have tallied since 1986 and the seventh-best in franchise history.
Shake Milton Continues His Scoring Streak
After being on the outside looking in of the Sixers rotation to start the season, Shake Milton has come alive of late. With plenty of available minutes at the guard position, he has seen extended time on the court and flourished with these opportunities. Following the last matchup with the Magic in which he came just one rebound shy of a triple-double, Milton further raised the bar by erupting for a season-high 29 points.
The former second-round pick also added seven assists, five rebounds, and a steal in the victory. Milton shot an efficient 10-13 from the field and was a perfect 7-7 from inside the three-point arc and 6-6 on free-throw attempts.
Tobias Harris also produced a season-high 25 points along with five rebounds and five assists. He played a part in the efficient shooting by connecting on 10 of his 14 shot attempts and both of his three-pointers. Harris also added two steals and a block and had done a great job producing as he has moved up the offensive pecking order for the Sixers in the stars’ absence.
Danuel House Jr. Shows Signs of Life
One of the more disappointing additions of the Sixers’ offseason has been Danuel House Jr. The former Rockets’ standout was expected to be an upgraded two-way wing to add to the rotation, but he has struggled to find his footing to start the year. Coming into the matchup he has averaged 17.9 minutes per game and is producing 4.1 points and 1.9 rebounds. He also has connected on just 34.4% of his three-point attempts while launching 1.9 per game.
House produced a season-high 19 points along with two assists, two rebounds, and a block against Orlando. He connected on five of his eight shot attempts and also got to the free-throw line a team-high 10 times. The 29-year-old showcased his ferocity when attacking the basket in recent games which have been fun to watch. House seemingly attempts to rip the rim down every time he goes up to dunk the ball. These aggressive dunks and step-back three-pointers are looking to be the staples of his game.
Furkan Korkmaz also produced a season-high 17 points on 6-7 shooting to ensure the competition for minutes remains tight. He also put the exclamation point on the win by producing this Harlem Globetrotter-Esque sequence with the game already in hand.
Going 3-1 over the past week without their three best players out is a major accomplishment for this Sixers team. The ball movement has looked better, they have shown a renewed commitment to the defensive end, and the results are speaking for themselves. While it would be foolish to say the Sixers are a better team without their three best players, there is something to be said for the more team-centric style of play that is being shown on the floor. Getting the stars to buy in and continue this when they get healthy must be the focus moving forward if the team is to reach its ceiling.
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