As Shake Milton’s game grows, so do expectations from outsiders for Sixers’ sixth man

Shake Milton was asked Wednesday morning how he thinks he’s done this season.

“I think I’ve done well,” said Milton, the 76ers sixth man. “Really well.”

The third-year combo guard averaged career highs in scoring (13.3 points), assists (2.9), rebounds (2.3), and minutes played (23.8) heading into Wednesday night’s game against the Atlanta Hawks at the Wells Fargo Center. He also has shot a career-best 83.4% from the foul line.

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But perhaps the biggest indicator of his improvement was the reaction to a recent slump.

Folks wondered what was wrong with Milton after last week’s back-to-back bad games against the Golden State Warriors and Phoenix Suns.

He had five points on 1-for-7 shooting along with three turnovers in last Monday’s 107-96 loss to the Warriors. Milton followed that with five points on 2-for-10 shooting and four turnovers in last Wednesday’s 116-113 setback to the Suns.

As a key contributor, those subpar games became a big story, showing how the expectations have changed.

“It definitely is,” Milton said of being expected to do more compared to last season. “I remember having 10 points last year, I’m like I’m on top of the world. I feel like I’m doing something. Now, people are asking like I’m not doing enough, they are like, ‘Shake, what’s up?’

“I mean it’s funny. You just have to take it and go with it.”

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Milton said he never gets “too high” after a standout performance or “too low” after a bad one.

The former second-round pick has expanded his game in regards to playmaking and getting to the basket. He’s also spends a lot of time in the gym working on becoming more consistent.

“I can definitely see where my game has grown,” he said.