Shake Milton Has a Fan in Atlanta Hawks’ Dejounte Murray

In the absence of Tyrese Maxey and James Harden, the Philadelphia 76ers have leaned on De’Anthony Melton and Shake Milton to run their backcourt for the time being.

Melton’s consistently been a key contributor for the Sixers throughout the year as he’s their primary backup ball-handler and a defensive standout.

As for Milton, he had to work his way into the rotation and has made it impossible for Doc Rivers to phase him out when the team gets healthy once again.

Prior to starting in the absence of Maxey, Milton appeared in 11 of the Sixers’ first 15 games. He averaged 14 minutes off the bench. During that time, Milton put up just five points per game while shooting 18 percent from three on one attempt per game.

Since getting his first start of the year last Saturday against the Minnesota Timberwolves, Milton has averaged 39 minutes on the court, producing 23 points per game while knocking down 54 percent of his shots from beyond the arc.

A surging Milton has been a pleasant development for the Sixers this season, but it’s not necessarily surprising to anybody. While the young veteran has struggled to find consistency over the years, Milton’s had similar runs in his career — and has the respect of his peers.

“I’ve always been a fan of him,” said Atlanta Hawks star Dejounte Murray after Monday night’s matchup against the Sixers, according to Ky Carlin of Sixers Wire. “I watch a ton of basketball, so I’m aware without the scouting report. I’m aware of what he’s been doing. It goes back two or three years ago, two years ago, when he was getting a lot of time, playing really well. He’s taking advantage of the opportunity. He’s being a real professional, and you gotta respect that.”

Milton won’t stick around in the Sixers’ starting lineup long-term, as Harden and Maxey could both be back on the court as early as December. However, getting pushed out of the rotation entirely isn’t something Milton’s facing.

He might be coming off a down year where he averaged eight points in 55 games while shooting just 43 percent from the field, but Milton is back on par with his solid play from 2019 to 2021.

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