“Everyone’s been tearing me down for a year straight,” he says, pausing. “It sucks.” But all that criticism is fuel, too, for a new season that’s now two weeks old but, when we met in September, had not yet begun. “I love when people are talking shit, wanting to see me down, because in my head I’m playing with house money. I know I’m not gonna go out there and suck. I know that’s not going to happen. I would have to be a different person.”
What’s the buzz on Twitter?
Eurohoops @Eurohoopsnet
Ben Simmons on the boos from Philly: I thought it was going to be louder eurohoops.net/en/nba-news/14… – 5:37 AM
Ben Simmons on the boos from Philly: I thought it was going to be louder eurohoops.net/en/nba-news/14… – 5:37 AM
Nick Friedell @NickFriedell
Markieff Morris with a strong defense of Ben Simmons after the game. Why has everything clicked for Simmons since LA? “Healthy. He finally got his legs under him. He was off for two years. Y’all wouldn’t give him a chance, y’all want to criticize him after every fu***** game …” – 10:44 PM
Markieff Morris with a strong defense of Ben Simmons after the game. Why has everything clicked for Simmons since LA? “Healthy. He finally got his legs under him. He was off for two years. Y’all wouldn’t give him a chance, y’all want to criticize him after every fu***** game …” – 10:44 PM
StatMuse @statmuse
Another double-digit night for Ben Simmons:
14 PTS
6 AST
3 STL
2 BLK
7-9 FG
5 straight games with 10+ PTS and 50+ FG%. pic.twitter.com/JmOTgxe75w – 9:46 PM
Another double-digit night for Ben Simmons:
14 PTS
6 AST
3 STL
2 BLK
7-9 FG
5 straight games with 10+ PTS and 50+ FG%. pic.twitter.com/JmOTgxe75w – 9:46 PM
Erik Slater @erikslater_
Ben Simmons continues to be outstanding.
Defensive activity off the charts and extremely decisive with the ball in his hands. – 9:10 PM
Ben Simmons continues to be outstanding.
Defensive activity off the charts and extremely decisive with the ball in his hands. – 9:10 PM
Erik Slater @erikslater_
KD and Ben Simmons have developed some incredible chemistry on these backdoor cuts. – 7:57 PM
KD and Ben Simmons have developed some incredible chemistry on these backdoor cuts. – 7:57 PM
Austin Krell @NBAKrell
I see the way Plumlee shoots after changing hands and I wonder how difficult it would be for Ben Simmons to just test out shooting free throws as a righty push shot if he bought into actually giving it a try. – 7:19 PM
I see the way Plumlee shoots after changing hands and I wonder how difficult it would be for Ben Simmons to just test out shooting free throws as a righty push shot if he bought into actually giving it a try. – 7:19 PM
Aaron Rose @AaronBenRose
The shorthanded Raptors were surprisingly -2.5 point favorites against Kevin Durant, Kyrie Irving, and Ben Simmons earlier today but the Fred VanVleet news has Toronto +2.0 underdogs now on @BodogCA. Still crazy to me that it’s so close. The Nets are just bad, eh – 6:02 PM
The shorthanded Raptors were surprisingly -2.5 point favorites against Kevin Durant, Kyrie Irving, and Ben Simmons earlier today but the Fred VanVleet news has Toronto +2.0 underdogs now on @BodogCA. Still crazy to me that it’s so close. The Nets are just bad, eh – 6:02 PM
Sirius XM NBA @SiriusXMNBA
Ben Simmons made his return to Philadelphia last night!
His former teammate, @ATolliver,has been encouraged by what he’s seen from Ben Simmons lately #NetsWorld
@Rick Kamla | @Amin Elhassan pic.twitter.com/DpzKynR41R – 5:00 PM
Ben Simmons made his return to Philadelphia last night!
His former teammate, @ATolliver,has been encouraged by what he’s seen from Ben Simmons lately #NetsWorld
@Rick Kamla | @Amin Elhassan pic.twitter.com/DpzKynR41R – 5:00 PM
Howard Beck @HowardBeck
Crossover pod, w/@Chris Mannix:
▪️Ben Simmons’ revival
▪️Warriors woes
▪️Kings resurgence
Link: link.chtbl.com/crossover
Also, Mannix claims his pastrami sandwich is superior to Thanksgiving food. I righteously defend the turkey-stuffing-cranberries holy trinity.
Who’s right? – 4:59 PM
Crossover pod, w/@Chris Mannix:
▪️Ben Simmons’ revival
▪️Warriors woes
▪️Kings resurgence
Link: link.chtbl.com/crossover
Also, Mannix claims his pastrami sandwich is superior to Thanksgiving food. I righteously defend the turkey-stuffing-cranberries holy trinity.
Who’s right? – 4:59 PM
Keith Pompey @PompeyOnSixers
Shorthanded Sixers do the unthinkable to Ben Simmons and the Nets — win, 115-106 inquirer.com/sixers/tobias-… via @phillyinquirer – 3:41 PM
Shorthanded Sixers do the unthinkable to Ben Simmons and the Nets — win, 115-106 inquirer.com/sixers/tobias-… via @phillyinquirer – 3:41 PM
Erik Slater @erikslater_
Ben Simmons showed up in the face of an unruly Philly crowd and played inspired, efficient basketball Tuesday.
The problem for the Nets was none of his teammates did the same. Inside what led to Brooklyn getting outworked in an embarrassing loss: clutchpoints.com/nets-news-broo… – 12:36 PM
Ben Simmons showed up in the face of an unruly Philly crowd and played inspired, efficient basketball Tuesday.
The problem for the Nets was none of his teammates did the same. Inside what led to Brooklyn getting outworked in an embarrassing loss: clutchpoints.com/nets-news-broo… – 12:36 PM
Erik Slater @erikslater_
Ben Simmons showed up in the face of an unruly Philly crowd and played inspired, efficient basketball.
The problem for the Nets was none of his teammates did the same. Sights and sounds a from Brooklyn’s embarrassing loss. clutchpoints.com/nets-news-broo… – 12:08 PM
Ben Simmons showed up in the face of an unruly Philly crowd and played inspired, efficient basketball.
The problem for the Nets was none of his teammates did the same. Sights and sounds a from Brooklyn’s embarrassing loss. clutchpoints.com/nets-news-broo… – 12:08 PM
Keith Pompey @PompeyOnSixers
Dissecting undermanned 76ers’ victory over Ben Simmons and the Brooklyn … youtu.be/KeEbfQs6yRM via @YouTube – 11:59 AM
Dissecting undermanned 76ers’ victory over Ben Simmons and the Brooklyn … youtu.be/KeEbfQs6yRM via @YouTube – 11:59 AM
Keith Pompey @PompeyOnSixers
Shorthanded Sixers do the unthinkable to Ben Simmons and the Nets — win, 115-106 inquirer.com/sixers/tobias-… via @phillyinquirer – 11:53 AM
Shorthanded Sixers do the unthinkable to Ben Simmons and the Nets — win, 115-106 inquirer.com/sixers/tobias-… via @phillyinquirer – 11:53 AM
Zach Lowe @ZachLowe_NBA
New holiday travel Lowe Post podcast: @L_Hurd on the Blazers up-and-down season, @Mike Prada on the 10-7 Wizards + a brief interlude/monologue on the Ben Simmons return game + it being now or never for the Nets:
Apple: apple.co/3XrvG3j
Spotify: spoti.fi/3VhOuAJ – 11:48 AM
New holiday travel Lowe Post podcast: @L_Hurd on the Blazers up-and-down season, @Mike Prada on the 10-7 Wizards + a brief interlude/monologue on the Ben Simmons return game + it being now or never for the Nets:
Apple: apple.co/3XrvG3j
Spotify: spoti.fi/3VhOuAJ – 11:48 AM
Kristian Winfield @Krisplashed
What transpired in front of a sellout crowd booing Ben Simmons every time he touched the ball encapsulated every shortcoming the Nets must overcome if they still believe they can be the last team standing at the end of the season.
“It’s the same shit.” nydailynews.com/sports/basketb… – 11:44 AM
What transpired in front of a sellout crowd booing Ben Simmons every time he touched the ball encapsulated every shortcoming the Nets must overcome if they still believe they can be the last team standing at the end of the season.
“It’s the same shit.” nydailynews.com/sports/basketb… – 11:44 AM
Ky Carlin @Ky_Carlin
Tobias Harris was not motivated by any of the Ben Simmons drama. Harris was focused on leading out on the floor and he led to an impressive win. #Sixers sixerswire.usatoday.com/2022/11/23/tob… via @SixersWire – 9:47 AM
Tobias Harris was not motivated by any of the Ben Simmons drama. Harris was focused on leading out on the floor and he led to an impressive win. #Sixers sixerswire.usatoday.com/2022/11/23/tob… via @SixersWire – 9:47 AM
Rich Hoffman @rich_hofmann
Ben Simmons played well in his return to Philly, but it didn’t matter.
On how the Sixers outworked the Nets, the players who did it and how it’s the blueprint of surviving the next few shorthanded weeks: theathletic.com/3926088/2022/1… – 8:45 AM
Ben Simmons played well in his return to Philly, but it didn’t matter.
On how the Sixers outworked the Nets, the players who did it and how it’s the blueprint of surviving the next few shorthanded weeks: theathletic.com/3926088/2022/1… – 8:45 AM
Alex Schiffer @Alex__Schiffer
Story from Philly is up. Ben Simmons embraced the venom he got Tuesday night and flirted with a triple-double as a result. It also came in a loss to the injury-riddled Sixers as the Nets struggle to get into a rhythm: theathletic.com/3926212/2022/1… – 8:32 AM
Story from Philly is up. Ben Simmons embraced the venom he got Tuesday night and flirted with a triple-double as a result. It also came in a loss to the injury-riddled Sixers as the Nets struggle to get into a rhythm: theathletic.com/3926212/2022/1… – 8:32 AM
Chris Mannix @SIChrisMannix
Column: “I thought it would be louder,” said Ben Simmons. In his return to Philadelphia, Simmons continued to show signs of improvement. The Nets — defensively anyway — continue to decline si.com/nba/2022/11/23… – 8:29 AM
Column: “I thought it would be louder,” said Ben Simmons. In his return to Philadelphia, Simmons continued to show signs of improvement. The Nets — defensively anyway — continue to decline si.com/nba/2022/11/23… – 8:29 AM
Kurt Helin @basketballtalk
Three things to know: Ben Simmons handles boos in return to Philly; Nets don’t nba.nbcsports.com/2022/11/23/thr… – 8:00 AM
Three things to know: Ben Simmons handles boos in return to Philly; Nets don’t nba.nbcsports.com/2022/11/23/thr… – 8:00 AM
Jorge Sierra @hoopshype
Ben Simmons: “I thought it was going to be louder.” pic.twitter.com/0BOHM5q9M9 – 6:35 AM
Ben Simmons: “I thought it was going to be louder.” pic.twitter.com/0BOHM5q9M9 – 6:35 AM
More on this storyline
Despite featuring Nets G Ben Simmons’ return to Philadelphia, Tuesday’s Nets-Sixers NBA regular season game averaged a 0.85 rating and 1.48 million viewers on TNT — down double-digits from Lakers-Knicks (sans-LeBron James) last year (1.0, ~1.7M). The Lakers-Suns nightcap averaged 1.47 million viewers, up 9% from Nuggets-Blazers a year ago (~1.4M). -via Sports Media Watch / November 24, 2022
Brian Lewis: Markieff Morris on Ben Simmons’ surge: “Got his legs under him. He was off for 2 years. Y’all won’t even give him a chance; y’all want to criticize him every fu-king name….Obviously y’all wouldn’t know because none of y’all played in the NBA. He got to get his body right” #Nets -via Twitter @NYPost_Lewis / November 24, 2022
“I had a terrible year,” Simmons says, flatly, “so I know how to handle my emotions and what I need to be doing to get on track. If I’m worried or sad or frustrated or angry, I feel like I’m better able to deal with that now. It took time, but I’m at peace with who I am and what’s going on around me. I know what my priorities are, and what I need to do every day. Besides that, I just want to be me.” -via Sydney Morning Herald / November 24, 2022