CAMDEN, N.J. — De’Anthony Melton returned from a 21-game absence in Tuesday’s win over the Detroit Pistons and his presence on the floor is a big boost for the Philadelphia 76ers.
Melton is a long and athletic defender who can give the Sixers a spark on the perimeter defensively. His return will help Philadelphia in the playoffs when it inevitably has to face the likes of Jalen Brunson, Damian Lillard, Jayson Tatum, and others in the playoffs.
On top of his defensive acumen, Melton helps Tyrese Maxey and Kyle Lowry when it comes to ball-handling duties and being an offensive option out on the floor.
“Listen, options are always good, depth is always good, versatility is always good,” coach Nick Nurse said at practice on Thursday. “He gives us some of that. He’s a little different than Tyrese and Kyle, and he’s a little different than Kelly (Oubre Jr.), and he’s a little different than Nico (Batum) — all these guys that we throw at all these guards, and he’s certainly got some experience. That’s the main thing. So I’m trying to remain optimistic that he’s going to keep progressing forward.”
Nurse likes the options he has at the moment for the Sixers, but it doesn’t hurt to have other options. That’s where Melton comes in as he looks to make an impact for Philadelphia down the line in the playoffs. There may be a series where Nurse uses Melton more than another.
“I feel pretty good about the guys we’ve got in there right now and the depth we’ve got in there,” Nurse added. “So I’m probably more casting an eye down the line. If we make any kind of run, he can continue to get healthier and build, and a lot of that stuff, as you guys know, sometimes goes series by series. Maybe there’s a series where we need a little more perimeter defending, and maybe there’s a series we don’t.”
In his return against the Pistons on Tuesday, Melton only shot 2-for-9 overall and 1-for-5 from deep, but he looked like he was in shape and could be a big help for the Sixers right now.
“I thought he looked not as far out of shape or out of rhythm,” Nurse explained. “He maybe didn’t make as many shots, but it wasn’t like he was air-balling them. The release was good, the bounce was good, the setup was good. I think that’s just a matter of (getting) a little bit more time out there. So it’s always nice to have an extra guy.”
As far as Melton’s health is concerned, Nurse said the veteran guard felt OK. It’s just all about managing it at this point.
“I just talked to him,” Nurse finished. “He said he feels ‘fine.’ He’s not doing cartwheels up and down the court today or anything, but he’s fine. I think it’s a bit of a process yet. We’ll throw him out there tomorrow for longer, if we can. We certainly want to get him some extended minutes to see how far we can go with it, and to see what point he’s at when it gets to time to use him for real.”
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