Three Normal Things: Sixers Vs. Kings
Three Normal Things
Adam Aaronson, whose legal name is Sixers Adam (@SixersAdam on Twitter), covers the Sixers for The Rights To Ricky Sanchez. He has been legally banned from covering the team in person, and when that ban was set to be lifted, Covid-19 struck. He believes cantaloupe is the best food in existence, and is brought to you by the Official Realtor of The Process, Adam Ksebe.
Welcome back to Three Normal Things, as the Sixers capped off their homestand in a matchup with the Sacramento Kings. Here’s what jumped out to me:
#1: Danny Green is more than salary filler
I remain fully in favor of the Sixers trading for Kyle Lowry this week. And if they can pull off a deal for the North Philly native, Green would be necessary salary filler to make the finances work. But short of that deal coming to fruition, there should be no circumstances in which Green does not remain a Sixer past the March 25 trade deadline.
As frustrating as Green’s off nights may be, his best performances -- including tonight -- remind you of his immense value as a vital, low-usage role player.
Green is not just a good shooter -- he is a versatile one, who can get shots off from anywhere on the court. He has a quick trigger, both physically and mentally. He has excellent understanding of both angles and relocation, providing a perfect example to young wings like Matisse Thybulle, Furkan Korkmaz and Isaiah Joe of how to play without the ball on offense.
All of that only accounts for the offensive end. Though a step slower than he used to be, Green is still a savvy, positive-impact defensive player. Unless he’s reuniting with the Toronto Raptors, I don’t want to see Green be moved this week.
#2: Tobias Harris, floor raiser
I feel like a broken record with how much I’ve tweeted and written about Tobias Harris’ season, but my goodness he is just on a tear right now. As a scorer, shooter, decision-maker, passer and defender, he has shown versions of himself far better than any others in his career.
And right now, he is a walking stable offense. When he is on the floor, the Sixers will have an effective offensive attack because he is there. He can so easily get to his spots, and just as easily knock down shots from them, and his improved passing ability makes him even more dangerous when he leverages the attention defenses are paying him into generating ideal looks for his teammates.
#3: Bounce-back for Shake Milton
Milton has struggled massively of late to score or create looks for his teammates. Tonight was a much-needed rebound performance for him, scoring at least 20 points for the first time since March 1 and shooting more free throws than he has in a game all season.
With the Sixers’ bench offense under the microscope due to the injuries of Joel Embiid and Ben Simmons, seeing Shake at his best is a welcomed development. The big question remains: will Milton be the team’s lone backup ball-handler in a week from now?