SHAKE Milton waxed hot in his return as the Philadelphia 76ers walloped Miami Heat, 125-108, in the 2020-2021 National Basketball Association (NBA) Season at the Wells Fargo Center in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States on Thursday night (Friday in the Philippines).
After sitting out the last three games due to coronavirus protocols, Milton ignited the 76ers’ offense with 31 points and seven assists.
Tobias Harris also made his return with 18 points, rookie Tyrese Maxey had 15 markers, Danny Green and Isaiah Joe had 12 points each while Ben Simmons ended up with triple-double 12 assists, 10 points and 10 rebounds. The 76ers improved to a 9-4 win-loss slate.
After trailing 24-29 early in the game, the 76ers leaned on consecutive points by Milton for a 38-30 edge. He and Green connived on offense in the second period as Philadelphia’s lead rose to 73-58.
The Heat rallied in the third quarter, but the 76ers answered with conversions from Green, Simmons and Joel Embiid for their biggest lead at 91-66 following a dunk by Harris.
Miami clawed its way back to within 83-98, but Philadelphia countered with triples from Matisse Thybulle, Milton and Joe as the lead moved up to 121-99 with over two minutes left.
In other results, Christian Wood anchored Houston Rockets’ endgame run to pull off a 109-105 stunner over San Antonio Spurs at the AT&T Center in San Antonio, Texas, US.
Down 90-99, Wood and Sterling Brown drained a triple each while Jae’Sean Tate added a layup to come to within 98-101. Wood then converted a triple and two free throws to give Houston a 103-101 edge.
Brown and Tate then added a two-pointer each as the Rockets widened the lead to 107-103. The Spurs had a chance to regain the lead, but misfired their attempts before Rockets’ PJ Tucker sealed the win with two free throws.
Wood finished the match with double-double 27 points and 15 rebounds while Brown and Tate contributed 23 and 13 markers respectively as the Rockets halted their losing run to improve to 4-6.
In other result, Chris Boucher tallied double-double 25 points and 10 rebounds while Fred VanVleet added 17 as Toronto Raptors (3-8) outdueled Charlotte Hornets (6-7), 111-108.
BOX SCORE:
PHILADELPHIA 125 – Milton 31, Harris 18, Maxey 15, Green 12, Joe 12, Simmons 10, Embiid 9, Howard 8, Thybulle 8, Reed 2, Scott 0, Ferguson 0, Bradley 0, Mathias 0.
MIAMI 108 – Robinson 22, Vincent 21, Herro 17, Silva 13, Olynyk 12, Strus 11, Achiuwa 10, Iguodala 2.
QUARTERSCORES:
Q1, 38-30; Q2, 73-58; Q3, 98-78; Q4, 125-108./PN
