Sixers should use Ben Simmons more off-ball in potential Celtics series

Ben Simmons should be used more off the ball for the Sixers to defeat the Celtics in a potential playoff series.

Ben Simmons isn’t the No. 1 scoring option for the Philadelphia 76ers, but because he’s their primarily facilitator, the team’s offense stalls any time he’s held in check.

And no team has contained Simmons quite like the Celtics.

If the NBA decides to go straight into the playoffs, the Sixers will have a tough first-round matchup in the Boston Celtics. The Sixers won the season series 3-1, but Boston’s defense has presented issues for Philly in the playoffs. Simmons has played one series against Boston, which was during 2018.

The NBA’s potential return made more progress Friday, as commissioner Adam Silver told the league’s Board of Governors that July 31 is a target date for the season’s resumption, per The Athletic’s Shams Charania.

The format for the league’s return is expected to be released Thursday, and 20-22 teams are slated to compete when the season returns, per a report from ESPN. 

Per ESPN’s Tim Bontemps, 16 of the league’s owners want to go directly into the playoffs with the teams that were headed to the postseason before the season was paused.

Since Simmons rarely shoots from the perimeter, the Celtics have simply flooded the paint, preventing Simmons from creating dribble penetration. Game 2 of the 2018 Eastern Conference semifinals was a perfect example of how the Celtics have stymied Simmons in the past.

He was held to a playoff career-low one point, and he missed all four of his shots from the field. Though he had seven assists, Simmons also had five turnovers.

During that 2018 series, which lasted five games, Simmons scored 14.4 points a game, grabbed 8.2 rebounds and 6.4 assists. He shot 47.5% from the field and committed 4.8 turnovers a game.

According to NBA.com stats, Simmons averaged 14.8 points a game and 3.0 turnovers against the Celtics in four games during the 2018-19 regular season. During the 2017-18 campaign, the Celtics gave Simmons fits. He scored 12.5 points per game and shot 47.8% from the field in four games against the Celtics.

This season, Simmons has shown noticeable improvement against Boston, though. He’s scored 18.3 points per game and shot 60.8% from the field in four games against the Celtics. With Al Horford now on Philly, the Celtics don’t have a reliable rim protector anymore.

That’s helped Simmons thrive in the paint more. Still, the Sixers need to use Simmons off the ball as much as possible.

They need to have him work in the post for some easy buckets, and he shouldn’t regularly be trying to drive or make plays from the top of the arc. They also should have him be in the dunker’s spot for easy buckets on the weak side. Using him as a roller in the pick-and-roll could also present a different look for the Celtics’ defensive coverages.

Despite not having Horford, the Celtics are still a good defensive team and can lock down the key. According to NBA.com stats, the Celtics are fourth in the league for opponent field goal percentage (44.2%) and third in opponent points in the paint (43.2). 

The Celtics are going to be strong defensively in any series. And because of how they’ve defended Simmons in the past, the Sixers should use their two-time All-Star in a variety of ways in a potential playoff series. It would be a major factor in them potentially defeating the Celtics.

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