Getty Shake Milton #18 of the Philadelphia 76ers goes up for a shot between Chris Boucher #25 and Scottie Barnes #4 of the Toronto Raptors in the first quarter during Game Five of the Eastern Conference First Round at Wells Fargo Center on April 25, 2022 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.
Through the opening three games of the season, Doc Rivers drew some criticism for keeping his bench extremely short. There have primarily been nine Philadelphia 76ers players that were in the rotation with the starting unit carrying the bulk of the minutes. This is normal for a team deep in the playoff hunt, but uncommon so early on in the season- especially considering the newfound depth that the Sixers brought in this offseason.
This changed during the team’s first victory of the season as the Sixers took down the Indiana Pacers by a score of 120-106. Rivers opened the rotation up to 11 players as well as emptying the bench for the final two minutes. One guy who saw an opportunity for the first time this season was Shake Milton. While he played just six total minutes and did not shine on the stat sheet, the additional ball-handling provided some notable relief for the Sixers. Milton also flashed his playmaking alongside Joel Embiid just a few possessions after entering the game.
Was happy to see Shake Milton get an opportunity in the Sixers rotation last night
Having an additional ball-handler with some playmaking ability outside of James Harden is a huge asset to the team
Love this little dish to Embiid for an And-1
Rivers Thought’s On Shake
Following the victory, Coach Rivers was asked about Milton and his overall decision-making regarding the bench rotations. When speaking to the media he stated, “We want to add another guy to the rotation, and tonight it was Shake (Milton).” Rivers said this final rotation spot is not yet set in stone and mentioned Furkan Korkmaz and Matisse Thybulle as guys also in the mix. He did admit he believes Milton is “the guy ahead” due to his strong training camp.
WHAT A CLUTCH 3 FROM SHAKE MILTON
In total, Milton played just six minutes on the court. However, this was his first time getting off the bench all season which is a positive sign for the SMU product. He has seen his role alter drastically throughout his five seasons with the Sixers.
At one time Milton was the clear Sixth Man of the team and has averaged over 20 minutes per game in three seasons. It has been somewhat surprising to see how limited Milton’s role has been. The additions of players like De’Anthony Melton and Danuel House Jr. have played a role in this. There will certainly be more opportunities for Milton moving forward and he must be prepared to answer that call. This was the case in his limited chance last night and should be looked to continue moving forward.
Sixers Bench Production
The lack of production of the bench was also a major storyline through the first three games. In total the second unit provided 34 points in the three matchups which is the worst rate recorded in the past 50 years. This changed in the Sixers’ first win of the season as the bench combined for 36 total points.
Georges Niang quick release from deep 💦
Melton (11 points) and Georges Niang (13 points) led the way for the second unit. The ball movement from the team was greatly improved with Embiid deserving some major credit for this. While he ended with just two assists, he did a great job being receptive to Indiana’s double-teams and additional passes from the rest of the Sixers created open shots.
It was an encouraging victory for the Sixers who played with increased pace and shot more three-pointers. Both of these were considered points of emphasis following the opening three losses. Milton and the bench unit were vital to creating a spark for the team in the way that it is hoped. Hopefully, this type of effort can continue moving forward and the bench continues to grow as the point of strength it is hoped it will be.