CAMDEN N.J.–The Philadelphia 76ers did not have a fun time on Thursday as they welcomed the Brooklyn Nets into the Wells Fargo Center for a highly anticipated matchup. It was a matchup of star power on both sides and the return of Ben Simmons.
While Simmons did not play, there was a lot of talk and focus centered on his return to the Wells Fargo Center for the first time since the Game 7 debacle against the Atlanta Hawks. Following a tough playoff performance, Simmons requested a trade in August and what followed was a long and ugly standoff before he was finally moved to the Nets for James Harden.
Simmons was bood mercilessly by the Philadelphia fan base as the Sixers fans did what they do best, but in the end, it was Simmons and the Nets who got the last laugh in a 129-100 win.
As the Sixers got back to work at practice on Saturday, Joel Embiid is happy the Simmons game is behind them.
“Yeah,” said the big fella. “I mean, even before the game, I was already tired of all that drama and all that stuff. I didn’t think it was warranted. I just wanted to really get it over with. I wasn’t into it at all. I just want to play basketball and try to win the basketball game we were playing in.”
Embiid is known to have some fun with the fans. He is always one to egg on the Philadelphia crowd when they get loud and rowdy, but he wasn’t about it this time in the midst of the Simmons return.
“Honestly, I wasn’t focused on the outside noise and whatever people were talking about or really the fans going back and forth,” he added. “I’m glad we passed it.”
Ben Simmons on one end, Joel Embiid on the other. No interaction at all. #Sixers pic.twitter.com/OdWcbz3D3g
— Ky Carlin (@Ky_Carlin) March 10, 2022
In a blowout loss, Embiid did have 27 points, but he shot 5-for-17 from the floor as he had a tough night getting into a rhythm.
“It was one of those games,” Embiid finished. “We didn’t come prepared enough and we didn’t make enough shots and we didn’t play defense.”
Now that the Simmons return is in the past, the Sixes will move on to face the Orlando Magic on the road on Sunday.
This post originally appeared on Sixers Wire! Follow us on Facebook!
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