The Philadelphia 76ers earned a solid 125-109 victory over the Detroit Pistons on Monday night, and there were plenty of great individual performances that helped them along the way. Tobias Harris’ 35-point outburst stands out, as does Furkan Korkmaz’s 21-point explosion off the bench. Ben Simmons was fantastic as well, and his performance put him in some very good company.
Simmons finished with 16 points, 17 assists, and 13 rebounds (including six on the offensive glass) to help spur the Sixers to their relatively easy victory. It was the 24th triple-double of Simmons’ career and it moved him into a tie for third-most such performances in a player’s first three seasons.
Simmons moved into a tie with Grant Hill, and now trails only Magic Johnson (31) and Oscar Roberston (87). It’s not inconceivable to think he could threaten Magic’s 31 and get into second place in the category.
In tonight’s win over the Pistons, Ben Simmons recorded his 24th career triple-double.
Per @EliasSports, Simmons is now tied with Grant Hill for the 3rd-most by a player in his first 3 seasons in NBA history and trails only Oscar Robertson (87) and Magic Johnson (31). pic.twitter.com/SUuwYOayDQ
— ESPN Stats & Info (@ESPNStatsInfo) December 24, 2019
Simmons remains a polarizing figure as he hasn’t shown the consistent offensive growth many, including the Sixers organization, were hoping to see from him this season despite occasionally showing flashes.
Still, it’s impossible to ignore his ability to impact games with his rare gifts. Simmons’ ability to rebound helps the Sixers to be able to push the pace and attack defenses before they can get set, and his vision is truly special for a player his size. Perhaps most importantly, Simmons has become the defensive juggernaut the team has envisioned, leading the league in steals with 2.2 per game and being a true nightmare for opposing offenses. His defense has already directly impacted several Sixers wins this season.
Already holding a Rookie of the Year award and an All-Star selection, the fact that Simmons is still developing is a scary prospect for the rest of the league. It seems likely that he will join more lists like the one discussed here, and the possibilities of what he can become are tantalizing. For now, there’s already plenty to appreciate. [lawrence-related id=22026,21925,21877,21678,21514]