76ers vs. Cavs: Who Boosted Their Stock in Monday’s Win?
The Philadelphia 76ers returned to the floor on Monday night for a rematch against the Cleveland Cavaliers. After taking down the Cavs with a one-point victory on Wednesday, the Sixers looked to make it three in a row this preseason on Monday.
Since Joel Embiid got the night off, the Sixers utilized their new small-ball lineup by shifting the veteran PJ Tucker to center. Overall, Philly’s small-ball unit looked good as the Sixers cruised past the Cavs with a 113-97 victory.
As a team, the Sixers continue to trend in the right direction. Now, how did each player pan out in the third preseason outing?
Stock Up
De’Anthony Melton
So far, Melton’s three-point shot hasn’t been ideal, but that should come with time. Overall, Melton had one of his most complete performances on Monday in the Sixers’ third preseason outing. Defensively, Melton is a huge boost for the Sixers. It’s a significant bonus that he’s also quite productive on the offensive end, too, as he scored seven points while racking up five assists.
PJ Tucker
The veteran forward isn’t going to be viewed as a scorer for the Sixers. Instead, he’ll be a strong defensive presence and a reliable three-point shooter. Tucker logged his first points this preseason on Monday as he hit on two of his four threes. Playing out of his natural position, Tucker did his job on Monday night.
Tyrese Maxey
The sky is the limit for Maxey, and no member of the Sixers has boosted their stock more than the third-year guard. Maxey finished the night with 19 points off of 14 shots and four free throws.
Matisse Thybulle
Thybulle desperately needed a decent offensive performance after his first two games were underwhelming. At first, Thybulle got off to a tough start after missing his first two three-pointers. As it turned out, these would be the only threes he would miss as Thybulle went 3-5 from deep on Monday night. Thybulle needs to show consistency in the scoring department, but Monday’s game was a huge leap in the right direction.
Shake Milton
It’s been a quietly decent preseason for Shake Milton so far. Monday was his best performance yet. The young veteran was persistent from the floor as he drained five of his eight shots for ten points. Milton also racked up five rebounds and four assists in 17 minutes.
Danuel House
The veteran wing was brought to the Sixers to bring energy, toughness, and reliable shooting. House put all three factors on display Monday night. From deep, House knocked down both of his attempts. He wrapped the night up, draining all four of his field goal attempts for ten points.
Isaiah Joe
After getting an unwanted night off last Wednesday, Joe picked up some fourth-quarter minutes on Monday. He appeared on the court for eight minutes and collected seven points. Considering he’s fighting for a spot on the roster, Joe’s ability to knock down shots in limited timing will definitely help him when final cuts roll around.
No Change
James Harden
Last week, James Harden looked a bit quicker off the dribble, but his shots weren’t falling, and the whistles weren’t going. Monday night’s performance was similar. Harden had some flashes here and there, but he hasn’t returned to MVP-caliber form early on in the preseason.
Paul Reed
The third-year center is off to a great start this year, as he put two solid performances on display last week. He was active and impactful on the defensive end on Monday, but he didn’t do anything that would boost his stock higher than it already is.
Georges Niang
Shooters can have off nights. Niang didn’t light it up from three as he drained just one of his four attempts.
Tobias Harris
The veteran forward had a tough night from the field as he scored on just 30 percent of his shots. Considering Harris has been efficient throughout the preseason, one rough performance won’t change much.
Stock Down
Furkan Korkmaz
This preseason is an opportunity for Korkmaz to earn his minutes back in the Sixers’ rotation after seeing his playing time diminish last year. Last Monday’s performance was stellar. The follow-up games — not so much. On Monday, Korkmaz put up just three shots from the field, with just one attempt falling. Four of his six points came from the free-throw line. Korkmaz is now shooting 18 percent from three this preseason.
Charles Bassey
Without Embiid and Montrezl Harrell available, you would think Monday night would be a great opportunity for Charles Bassey to state his case to remain on the roster. Unfortunately, the second-year center didn’t get the opportunity to showcase himself. That’s not a good sign.
Justin Grasso covers the Philadelphia 76ers for All76ers, a Sports Illustrated channel. You can follow him for live updates on Twitter: @JGrasso_.
