Late Monday afternoon, news broke that the Philadelphia 76ers would be without both of their star players in their matchup against the Miami Heat. Being on the second leg of a back-to-back, this news was shocking to few, as Sixers coach Doc Rivers has mentioned on multiple occasions there is a plan in place to make sure they are fully healthy for the playoffs.
Without James Harden and Joel Embiid in the lineup, it was on the Sixers' supporting cast to lead the charge against the Eastern Conference-leading Heat. In a shocking turn of events, they managed to come together and get the team back in the win column. Thanks to strong showings from multiple players, the Sixers walked off their home floor with a 113-106 victory.
When star players sit out, it creates an opportunity for role players to get more minutes and touches on the offensive end. Given how the regular season is quickly coming to a close, this was a chance for guys to work their way in or out of the playoff rotation. On Monday, there were two Sixers who made the most of their time on the floor against Miami.
Since returning from injury, Shake Milton's presence has been rather quiet. Heading into Monday, he hadn't even attempted a shot in three-straight games. Despite this, he managed to provide a huge lift off the bench to help secure a win for the Sixers. In 31 minutes of action, Milton tallied 20 points, five rebounds, and six assists while shooting 50% from the field.
After going through another cold spell shooting-wise, Furkan Korkmaz found himself on the outside looking in of Doc Rivers' rotations. Due to Harden and Embiid's absence, room opened up for him to see some action. Even with not seeing real minutes in quite some time, Korkmaz also came alive off the bench. He ended the night as the team's third-leading scorer with 18 points and shot a stellar 4-for-7 from beyond the arc.
Both players were confident and assertive on the floor which resulted in a stellar performance. Lack of production from the supporting cast has been an issue for the Sixers over the last two weeks, but you couldn't tell on Monday.
A few weeks back, Rivers talked about how players battling for rotation spots can be healthy, and what happened against Miami could be a testament to that. Because guys understand the rotation is not set in stone, it motivates them to keep pushing themselves and stay ready. Then when an opportunity like this comes about, they are more than prepared to step up.
Along with securing the win, there is another big positive from the Sixers in this matchup. Being able to go out and take down a team like Miami without Harden and Embiid could be the confidence boost this supporting cast needed. Now, the objective becomes continuing to provide a lift when the pair of All-Stars are back on the floor.
Heading into the playoffs with positive momentum is a top priority for every team looking to contend. This outing might be the moment that kickstarts the Sixers into looking like a deep enough team who can make a run at the title.
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