How Did Shake Milton Look Coming Off Bench?

Back to the bench Shake Milton went with James Harden returning to the lineup. How was Milton's first action off the bench after eight-straight starts?

With the starting backcourt of James Harden and Tyrese Maxey going down with injuries earlier this season, the Philadelphia 76ers were forced to utilize a starting backcourt of De’Anthony Melton and Shake Milton.

While Melton was already a key piece in the Sixers’ rotation from the start of the year, Milton was in a different situation. Through the three games of the season, Milton didn’t play. When he finally checked in for the October 24 matchup against Indiana, Milton saw the court for six minutes in garbage time.

It took Harden to go down for Milton to start seeing the court consistently. With Melton getting promoted to the starting lineup. Milton averaged 15 minutes per game. Then when Maxey went down with a fracture in his foot, Milton saw his promotion.

For eight-straight games, Shake Milton started and averaged 38 minutes of playing time. During the trial period, Milton proved he belonged on the floor, whether it was in the starting lineup or coming off the bench, as he averaged 21 points, five rebounds, and six assists while knocking down 46 percent of his threes.

Recently, Sixers coach Doc Rivers made it clear that Milton would have a role when the team gets healthy again. On Monday night, the Sixers improved in the health department as the star guard James Harden returned to the floor after his 14-game absence.

With Harden back in the mix, Rivers opted to roll with Melton in the starting five, sending Milton back to the bench. Just as he claimed, Rivers still kept Milton very much relevant in Philly’s rotation as he checked in for 26 minutes in the double-overtime loss.

The last time Milton saw the court for fewer than 30 minutes was on November 13 against the Utah Jazz. At the time, Milton put up just one shot and generated two assists in 11 minutes. 

For Philly, the hope is that Milton can remain active and productive in fewer minutes with a different unit. The young veteran had a solid first outing with a reduced role on Monday.

In the 26 minutes he played, Milton got off ten shots from the field, leading the Sixers’ bench in attempts. Milton drained 50 percent of his shots, collecting 11 points. Along with scoring, Milton produced four assists while coming down with three rebounds. 

While the Sixers’ bench was an issue on Monday night in Houston, Milton was active in his role, which is a positive sign for the future, as he’ll eventually be joined by Melton when Maxey finally returns to the mix after going through his rehab.

Justin Grasso covers the Philadelphia 76ers for All76ers, a Sports Illustrated channel. You can follow him for live updates on Twitter: @JGrasso_.