The 76ers (36-23) will return home to The Center Thursday for the second night of their back-to-back, as they host the New York Knicks (17-41).
Brett Brown's club will be looking to quickly move past Wednesday's loss in Cleveland.
“It’s the good thing with the NBA - in 24 hours, you’ve got a chance to move this aside and go try to find a win,” he said.
In the absence of Ben Simmons (back) and Joel Embiid (who left the game in first quarter with a left shoulder sprain), Shake Milton was a bright spot for the Sixers.
Getting the starting nod, Milton finished with a team-high 20 points, along with four rebounds, four assists, and a block.
Milton shot 4-for-6 from long range, and 8-for-14 from the field.
Brown, however, was most impressed by Milton’s defensive improvement.
“He’s always had that poise. From an intellectual standpoint, he’s grown on how to manage a game, incrementally, in significant ways,” Brown said. “And I think his defense has stood out maybe more than all of that.”
In his 26 appearances this season, Milton is averaging 7.2 points, 2.1 rebounds, and 1.8 assists in 16.5 minutes per game.
Of those 26 outings, Milton has started on 10 occasions in either guard spot, filling in for both Josh Richardson and now Simmons.
Al Horford was also pleased by the second-year Milton’s performance.
“I was very happy to see him being able to come out and play aggressive in that way. He’s a guy that can really shoot the ball well,” Horford said.
The Sixers have won all three of their matchups with the Knicks (who are also facing the second night of a back-to-back) this season. Most recently, the Sixers topped New York, 90-87, at Madison Square Garden on Jan 18.
Thursday’s contest tips at 7:00 p.m. ET.
Opponent Outlook:
The Knicks have dropped five straight heading into their meeting with the Sixers, including their first two stops on their current road trip in Houston and Charlotte.
After dealing Marcus Morris Sr. to the Clippers, Julius Randle now leads New York in scoring and rebounding, averaging 19.0 points and 9.6 boards per game. Randle notched a 17-point, 12-rebound double-double in Houston on Monday, and scored a team-high 18 points in Charlotte on Wednesday.
Follow Along:
Watch: NBC Sports Philadelphia / MyTeams App
Listen: 97.5 The Fanatic