Shake Milton Reveals 76ers' Key to Success Against Orlando Magic
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On Sunday, the Philadelphia 76ers looked to close out their two-game stretch in Orlando with another matchup against the Magic.
Two days prior, the Sixers paid a visit to the Magic for the first time this season coming off a loss against the Charlotte Hornets. Once again shorthanded, the Sixers found a way to climb above .500 for the second time this season by defeating Orlando in the first outing.
Taking what worked in that first outing, the Sixers looked to apply the same technique on Sunday when they participated in a rematch with the Magic.
“I think we came out, and we played with pace right out the gate, and along with that pace, we were moving the ball,” said Sixers guard Shake Milton on Sunday. “The ball was really hopping tonight. Everybody got a touch, everybody was able to get in a rhythm, and I think our defense actually helped our offense. We were able to get stops, and we weren’t taking the ball out as much. We were able to get the ball up and have some numbers, so it was good for us.”
In the first half of action, the Sixers shot at a high percentage all over the floor. By draining 66 percent of their field goals, and 43 percent of their attempts from beyond the arc, the Sixers dropped 67 points on the Magic in the first two quarters.
Meanwhile, Philadelphia forced ten turnovers and held the Magic to 16-38 shooting from the field in the first half. While the Sixers started slow on defense, allowing 32 points in the first quarter of action, they dominated in the second quarter by keeping the Magic to just 13 points.
At halftime, the Sixers were well in the lead, but they knew they had to keep their foot on the gas to ensure they could make it out of Orlando with a sweep.
In the third quarter, the Sixers continued shooting efficiently and outscored the Magic 32-26. Then in the fourth quarter, Philadelphia reached blowout territory as they closed out the night with a 30-point win. Everybody had a hand in the dominant victory by the Sixers, but once again, Shake Milton led the pack with a game-high of 29 points in 37 minutes.
“I feel like [I was] just being aggressive, picking my spots,” Milton said after the game. “My teammates do a really good job of telling me to go, telling me to be aggressive. Just having people down, it gives us an opportunity for us to step up. I think everybody on the team has looked at it as something we could do. We can come together, play hard, and have some opportunities to make some things happen, and hopefully get a few wins. We’re doing something like that.”
Lately, Milton’s been the heart of the Sixers’ offense. With Tyrese Maxey and James Harden rehabbing from lower-body injuries, Milton’s seen an increase in playing time and has taken full advantage.
Since becoming a starter five games ago, Milton has averaged 38 minutes on the court. He’s currently shooting 61 percent from the field while knocking down 52 percent of his threes on five attempts per game.
Shooting has been Milton’s bread and butter lately, as he’s averaged 24 points per game over this five-game stretch, but the young veteran has done a little bit of everything. In addition to scoring, Milton’s averaged seven assists and seven rebounds per game. Consistency is key for Milton moving forward, but the young veteran has proven that he’s up for the challenge of starting in the absence of the team’s star backcourt.
Justin Grasso covers the Philadelphia 76ers for All76ers, a Sports Illustrated channel. You can follow him for live updates on Twitter: @JGrasso_.
