Player grades: Shake Milton, Sixers beat up on Magic to end road trip

ORLANDO–The Philadelphia 76ers took on the Orlando Magic again on Sunday to finish up their 2-game mini-series as well as finish up their 3-game road trip looking to end things on a high note. The Sixers were still short-handed as they were still missing three starters, but they were able to persevere on the road.

The Sixers used a strong effort in the first half and carried it over into the third quarter to come away with a 133-103 win over the Magic to sweep the 2-game mini-series. Shake Milton had a strong night as he had 29 points and seven assists with five rebounds to help Philadelphia get the job done. The Sixers shot 64.9% and 11-for-27 from deep on the night.

Tobias Harris had 25 points, five rebounds, and five assists, De’Anthony Melton had 11 points and three steals, Danuel House Jr. had 19 points, and Montrezl Harrell added nine and seven rebounds. Paul Reed also gave 12 and 13 boards, Georges Niang added nine and five assists, and Furkan Korkmaz had 17 points and four assists off the bench.

Here are the player grades following the win in the rematch:

Shake Milton: A+

This was a nice controlled game for Milton. Orlando seemed to throw more defensive attention his way early and that allowed others to go off and get into a rhythm. Once the Magic adjusted, that then allowed Milton to get going and he was able to expand Philadelphia’s lead in the second quarter. He had 12 points in the second quarter to help the Sixers build a substantial lead. He was efficient with his shot and he made plays for others. He continues to be terrific filling in for his injured teammates.

De'Anthony Melton: A

The defensive instincts that Melton possesses is so impressive. There were a couple of plays that he made that looked like he shouldn’t have made it. His ability to read his opponent and anticipate when and where the pass is going to be made so he can step in and get a steal is just uncanny. On top of that, he was making some nice moves on the offensive end to help the Sixers succeed in this one.

Tobias Harris: A+

It was an aggressive start for Harris as he was making quick decisions and aggressively attacking Orlando’s big men. That then allowed him to get into a rhythm and he was in a groove all night long. The Magic tried to throw a few different defenders at him, but they couldn’t figure it out and Harris made them pay all night long. On top of that, he was terrific defensively and he made plays for others.

PJ Tucker: B+

Again, one won’t see Tucker’s impact in a box score, but he did a terrific job against Magic rookie Paolo Banchero. He was forcing him into some tough shots and his physicality was a big plus out there for Philadelphia. He didn’t start the third quarter and he began untying his shoes on the bench as he continues to work his way through an ankle injury he suffered on Friday. He did not return as Philadelphia held him out.

Montrezl Harrell: A

Harrell seemed to bring an edge to this one from the jump as he got into it a bit with some of the Magic players and he didn’t back down from their size. He finished an And-1 early and he appeared to send a message to Banchero in the paint. His offensive skills complement Reed’s defensive ability and that’s something the Sixers are continuing to lean on with Embiid out.

Danuel House Jr.: A+

House Jr.’s night got started with a fastbreak slam And-1 and the foul had him on the ground after a hard fall. He was clearly in some pain, but he got back up and he continued to play through it. He had some nice defensive moments so that’s something positive for him. He started the third quarter in place of Tucker and he played well in his place as he was attacking the basket aggressively. His contributions in the third quarter were essential in the Sixers building and keeping their lead.

Georges Niang: A

Once again, the Sixers were able to get some offense out of Niang early. The Minivan hopped off the bench and he pumped in a quick six points in his initial stint. His 3-point shooting is so important to this team’s offense and the Magic had to pay so much attention to him which opened up everybody else to get easy looks.

Paul Reed: A+

The young man out of DePaul is a ball magnet. He always seems to come up with the rebound and when he’s in a crowd, he always seems to be the one that comes away with the basketball. His energy is infectious and on the offensive end, he has begun to understand how important it is to roll hard to the basket off a screen.

Furkan Korkmaz: A-

The veteran out of Turkey gave the Sixers a bit of a spark in the early going when he knocked down a jumper, then got into the paint and created a look for Reed, and then got to the free-throw line. Overall, he had an efficient night and he was able to make an impact on the floor.

Story originally appeared on Sixers Wire