Player grades: Jalen McDaniels, bench leads Sixers past Hawks in OT
The Philadelphia 76ers found themselves locked in another meaningless contest on Friday as they paid a visit to the Atlanta Hawks on the road. The Sixers decided to smartly sit Joel Embiid, James Harden, Tyrese Maxey, Tobias Harris, PJ Tucker, and De’Anthony Melton in order to get them ready for the playoffs while the Hawks are fighting for play-in tournament positioning.
The result was the Sixers played Jaden Springer and Mac McClung fresh off a G League title with the Delaware Blue Coats on Thursday, but Philadelphia showed off a lot of fight rallying from 15 points down and they were able to knock off the Hawks 136-131 in overtime in an impressive effort. Jalen McDaniels had 24 points and 11 rebounds in a solid night and Georges Niang had 24 points while knocking down five triples.
Springer had a career-high 19 points, Danuel House Jr. had 22 points, Montrezl Harrell had 11 and 10 rebounds, and Paul Reed had 10 and eight rebounds. Shake Milton added 15 and a career-high 16 assists.
Here are the player grades following the surprising win:
Shake Milton: B+
It was a miserable shooting night for Milton who tried to get it going on the offensive end, but he wasn’t able to find a rhythm out on the floor to start. He had a lot of good looks at the rim, but they just wouldn’t fall. He was able to make plays for others with his passing which is a good sign for him and then he made some really big shots late in order to help the Sixers get to overtime while also making some big shots in the extra session.
Jaden Springer: A-
Fresh off the title run with the Blue Coats, Springer received the start and he brought his energetic play to the floor in this one. He bothered the Hawks out on the perimeter with his length and his activity and he also knocked down a triple in the early going as well. He had a few issues defending Trae Young, but that’s understandable considering the matchup. He made some really huge plays in the fourth quarter to help the Sixers. Overall, Springer had a very nice night on both ends of the floor which should be encouraging for him.
Jalen McDaniels: A
It appears that McDaniels looks much more comfortable with the Sixers. He continued his strong offensive play in this one and he was able to make a strong impression on his team with playoff minutes on the line. He has been strong on the offensive end as of late and Philadelphia will need that production going forward. He was terrific with his outside shooting, his ability to get to his spot in the mid-range, and he was able to use his length to be able to free himself for looks. This was a very good night for him.
Georges Niang: A
Niang knocked down an early triple and that seemed to get him going again. It has been a bit of a struggle for The Minivan as of late, but he was able to break through a bit in this one as he was able to knock down more triples in the second half, and he was able to put the ball on the floor and finish at the rim a few different times. He was also helpful on the glass. The biggest development, of course, is him finding his rhythm again on the offensive end which is something the Sixers will definitely take. The 3-pointers he made in overtime were really tough looks and they were a big reason why the Sixers were able to win this one.
Paul Reed: C+
The biggest thing that held Reed back was foul trouble. He was active on the glass and around the rim, but he picked up three fouls in the opening quarter which limited his effectiveness. That is going to be a big concern in the playoffs. He has got to stay out of foul trouble when his number is called in the postseason. He was able to produce out on the floor, but the foul trouble was a big issue against an aggressive Hawks team.
Danuel House Jr.: A
With the Sixers resting so many players on the night, this was an opportunity for House Jr. to show off more of his game. He was handling the ball a bit more out on the floor and he was setting up teammates by drawing defenders and then dropping off some nice passes. This was a solid night for House Jr. as he prepares for the playoffs. His aggression was important in terms of his offensive ability and he was able to get easy points at the foul line.
Montrezl Harrell: A
Harrell had some really good minutes. He showed off his size by attacking the glass and he was finishing around the rim on the offensive end. He had some issues on the defensive end, but the way Harrell can handle the ball and finish around the rim can be a big help when he’s called upon.
Dewayne Dedmon: B
The veteran big man got the first crack at the backup big man spot in this one and he had a knack for being in the right spots on the offensive end to help this team succeed. He also had some slick passes to cutters such as McDaniels and House Jr. to get them easy buckets.
Mac McClung: C+
The slam dunk champion made his Sixers debut in this one after leading the Blue Coats to the G League title and he had a few growing pains. He had a tough time on the defensive end in terms of staying in front of the quicker Hawks and he wasn’t able to get the open looks he got in the G League. He did finally get a good look to drop in the third quarter when he knocked down a triple to help the Sixers stay in the game.
Furkan Korkmaz: D+
Getting some minutes with the Sixers being so short-handed, Korkmaz looked like he tried to do too much in this one. He was dribbling into traffic and trying to make plays, he was trying to score a bit more, and he was handling the ball a lot, and he got caught with a few turnovers. He had a tough time on defense against Atlanta’s guards as well.
