Tag: Ben Simmons

Sixers’ Brett Brown on Ben Simmons: ‘The plays he can make are elite’

Philadelphia 76ers coach Brett Brown says Ben Simmons makes elite plays.

The Philadelphia 76ers are blessed with elite talent up-and-down their lineup, but the plays that Ben Simmons made on Saturday in order to preserve a 119-116 win over the Indiana Pacers was outstanding.

Simmons had 15 points, 13 assists, six rebounds, and four steals with three of them coming in the final 19 seconds to really stop the Pacers from taking the lead back. It was a few of the big plays that the Sixers need on a nightly basis and on Saturday, it was a big example of what he can do.

Coach Brett Brown stated:

The plays that he can make, from an athletic standpoint, the plays that he makes from a physical standpoint, is just elite. You hear me sort of vheerlead the cause of him being on an NBA All-Defensive team and it’s examples like that to me, make it a no-brainer.

Simmons was terrific all night, but those plays late were what really lifted Philadelphia to a win and remain undefeated at home. On top of that, Simmons was 7-for-7 from the foul line as he was able to get to the basket and draw contact. He did not finish well as he shot only 4-for-13 from the floor, but it was that relentless attacking style that is needed from him.

The Sixers will definitely take more of that as the season progresses. [lawrence-related id=20321,20313,20306]

Ben Simmons’ late defense lifts Sixers to wild 119-116 win over Pacers

Ben Simmons was huge for the Sixers down the stretch.

Saturday night’s game between the Indiana Pacers and Philadelphia 76ers featured very little defense, yet it was several huge defensive plays from Ben Simmons that propelled the Sixers to a hard-fought 119-116 win.

The Sixers built a nine-point lead after the first quarter and saw that margin grow to as much as 15, but another shaky second quarter saw that advantage evaporate with the teams going into the break tied at 65.

The score remained tied at the end of the third quarter, setting the stage for a dramatic final stage.

T.J. Warren hit three free throws to put the Pacers up by one with 41.4 seconds left. A Tobias Harris turnover on the ensuing possession had the Sixers in a tough spot, and then Ben Simmons decided the Sixers were going to win this game and used his defense to ensure it would happen.

Simmons erased Harris’ turnover with a steal at the other end and then found Harris for a dunk in transition to put the Sixers back up one. Following a Pacers timeout, Simmons then stole the inbounds pass, again finding Harris who was fouled. Harris connected on both free throws to extend the Sixer lead to three. The teams traded pairs of free throws courtesy of intentional fouls, and then, fittingly, Simmons intercepted Indiana’s final desperation pass to seal the victory.

It was a stunning display from Simmons, who showed aggression throughout the night. He struggled from the field, connecting on just 4-of-13 attempts, but he was a perfect 7-of-7 from the free-throw line. He finished with 15 points, 13 assists, six rebounds, four steals, and a block while playing 38 minutes.

Joel Embiid was fantastic again, pouring in 32 points to go with 11 rebounds, four assists, two steals, and a block. He was an impressive 15-of-15 from the charity stripe and his passing was very good.

Tobias Harris had an incredibly uneven final few minutes, making a few crucial mistakes but also converting some big buckets for the Sixers. He finished with 22 points, four rebounds, and two assists.

Al Horford had an efficient 15 points on 6-of-8 shooting, adding three rebounds, three assists, and two steals.

Furkan Korkmaz got the start in place of Josh Richardson, scoring 12 points.

The Sixers got balanced contributions off the bench, with nine points from James Ennis III, five from Raul Neto, five from Matisse Thybulle, and four from Mike Scott.

As we mentioned, the defense wasn’t as good as we’d like to see from the Sixers, as the Pacers shot 55.3% from the field and 50% from 3. However, the Sixers did force 19 turnovers and shot well themselves (49.4% from the field, 47.8% from 3).

This game had all the makings of one that the Sixers would let slip away and it is encouraging that they were able to gut it out and make the plays down the stretch to grind out the victory. The way Simmons changed the game defensively was a sight to behold and was another great sign for the team.

The Sixers improved to a perfect 9-0 at home and 14-6 on the season. They’ll be back in action on Monday when they host the Utah Jazz.

Sixers vs. Knicks preview: Sixers look to solve their road issues

The Philadelphia 76ers head to Madison Square Garden to face the New York Knicks.

The Philadelphia 76ers hit the road after another home win on Thanksgiving Eve to improve to 8-0 at home where they have played much better than they have on the road. The team is 4-6 on the road and their defense is not as strong on the road. They give up 109.7 points on the road compared to 97.0 at home.

The opponent on Friday is the hapless New York Knicks who have a ton of issues of their own. They have, once again, not lived up to any of the expectations that they set for themselves, but RJ Barrett has been a solid performer for them in the early going.

It’s now time for the game preview with the complete guideline for the entire game:

How to watch Sixers vs. Knicks

  • Date: Friday, November 29
  • Time: 7:30 p.m. EST
  • Location: Madison Square Garden Manhattan, NY
  • TV: NBC Sports Philadelphia+

Injury Report

  • Sixers: OUT: Al Horford(rest), Kyle O’Quinn(left calf strain) DOUBTFUL: Josh Richardson(right hamstring) QUESTIONABLE: Shake Milton(upper respiratory)
  • Knicks: OUT: Reggie Bullock(neck), Elfrid Payton(right hamstring)

Storylines

Embiid with nothing to prove

Sixers superstar Joel Embiid had 33 points and 16 rebounds in the win on Wednesday after a scoreless effort against the Toronto Raptors on Monday. It was a big bounce-back effort for the Sixers big man and it was almost a “prove it” game following the unacceptable performance. However, if you ask him, he has nothing to prove to anybody.

I didn’t have to prove anything. I’ve matured a lot since I’ve got in the league. I understand the end goal is winning a championship so we’ve got to take it day-by-day. People are going to talk and I’ve learned not to pay attention to it. It doesn’t get to me. I just do it for myself, I just do it for the organization, and I just do it for my family. I don’t have anything to prove to anybody, I literally do not care about whatever was said after that performance so, like I said I don’t have anything to prove to anybody

Brown praises Thybulle

The Sixers received a big game from Embiid, but if it wasn’ for rookie Matisse Thybulle, who knows what would have happened? Thybulle entered late in the third quarter and he did a helluva job wreaking havoc on either end and he scored 15 points on 5-for-5 shooting and 3-for-3 from deep.

Brown had praise for his rookie’s development as he stated:

I think when he can get his feet set, and he has proper footwork we talk about ‘are you a front stepper or a side stepper?’ and he looked like his shoulders were over his waist, his wasit was over his feet, he had proper footwork into his shot, and it looked good. It really looked balanced. Then he was getting deflections and steals and, I’m sure he felt good about his defense that you’d think carry into the confidence in his shot, but I thought fundamentally, just judging it, he looked proper. He looked fundamentally correct and balanced and he made them. We needed every one of them.

Prediction

The Knicks are an Eastern Conference worst 4-14 and they come in scoring only 101.8 points per game, which is dead last in the league. Considering the Sixers are fourth in the league in defensive rating, this sets up as a way for them to get back on track on the road. The defense will hold the Knicks, who’s leading scorer is Marcus Morris at 18.6 points, and the offense should be able to do enough to win this game.

Pick: Sixers by double-digits

Sixers vs. Knicks season series

Game 1 November 20: 109-104 Sixers

Game 2 November 29:

Game 3 January 18:

Game 4 February 27:

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Sixers coach Brett Brown on Ben Simmons: ‘I want him to shoot more’

Philadelphia 76ers coach Brett Brown says he wants Ben Simmons to shoot more.

The big concern surrounding Philadelphia 76ers point guard Ben Simmons has been his lack of a jump shot. He has only made one 3-pointer on 19 attempts in his NBA career and it’s become frustrating for a lot of people to watch and talk about.

One train of thinking has been Simmons is needed to shoot more jumpers in order to deviate some of the double teams that teammate Joel Embiid receives every game. The more Simmons shoots, the fewer chances Embiid gets a double because a defender has to worry about him.

Coach Brett Brown sees some type of connection there, but not really:

In general, I’d say yes, but as it relates to the double teams, there is a little bit of a connection of the dots. I feel like where we’re getting, I think if you’re looking at the spacing and the running to the corners or to the dunker, I think they’re available shots that perhaps he should look at more. I think his ability to catch and attack is elite and so I see space. In general, I want him to shoot more.

Simmons will definitely have to eventually take jump shots with some type of regularity. It’s going to get to a point where, just like in the playoffs, teams are going to wall off his driving lanes and force him to shoot the ball. He has shown off some flashes of aggressiveness, but there are other times where he won’t take them. It is something that is worth keeping an eye on as the season progresses as it’s an important thing for this team to keep going.

The Sixers and the Sacramento Kings tipoff at 7:00 p.m. EST from the Wells Fargo Center. [lawrence-related id=20132,20119,20110]

Sixers vs. Kings preview: Sixers look to remain unbeaten at home

The Philadelphia 76ers will return home to host the Sacramento Kings.

The Philadelphia 76ers have been a little up-and-down to begin the 2019-20 season, but one constant for them has been their play at home. The Sixers are a perfect 7-0 at home, compared to 4-6 on the road, and they give up 97.9 points per game at home compared to 109.7 on the road. They could use the confines of home after a tough loss to the Toronto Raptors on Monday.

Wednesday’s opponent is the Sacramento Kings who got off to a rough start, but have picked it up as of late and will come in as a talented bunch led by Buddy Hield and Bogdan Bogdanovic. They don’t play at a very fast pace as they’re 28th in the league in pace at 97.7 so they will look to slow the game down a bit.

With that being said, it’s time for the preview with the guide to Thanksgiving Eve game:

How to watch Sixers vs. Kings:

  • Date: Wednesday, November 27
  • Time: 7:00 p.m. EST
  • Location: Wells Fargo Center Philadelphia, PA
  • TV: NBC Sports Philadelphia

Injury Report

  • Sixers: OUT: Kyle O’Quinn(left calf strain), Shake Milton(upper respiratory infection)
  • Kings: OUT: Trevor Ariza(not with team), De’Aaron Fox(left ankle sprain), Marvin Bagley III(right thumb fracture) PROBABLE: Bogdan Bogdanovic(left hamstring tightness)

Storylines

Learning from Toronto

The Sixers were definitely in the driver’s seat despite the worst game of superstar Joel Embiid’s career as he was held scoreless. The Sixers had the lead late on the road against the defending champs, but then fell apart late. They missed their final eight shots and committed three bad turnovers to allow the Raptors to come back and steal the game. Coach Brett Brown saw what went wrong and he has his takeaways.

Brown stated:

If we are big boys, you’d say of course there has to be. You are going to walk out of here and find something that is going to make us better, and we will do it. At this moment, it stings. You’ll wake up in the morning; you’ll be wiser for it and learn things that we have to just respond to better. We had a stage where we missed four free throws, they came back and hit a three and it’s kind of like a seven point swing. You would like to have a few of those turnovers back, at the end of the game. That’s where I’m at.

Sixers lament a missed opportunity

Based on what happened during the game on Monday, the Sixers should have walked away as winners. Despite the huge struggles of Embiid, they were right there in the lead late, but then coughed it up with too many mistakes. The biggest turnover that stands out is Ben Simmons trying to throw a lob to Tobias Harris on a fast break that was picked off by Toronto’s Pascal Siakam. Both players acknowledged what happened and know they need to be better.

Simmons stated:

I think it was just overall the whole game – a lot of mental errors that we didn’t correct. Joel had a tough night, so that also doesn’t help. When we look back at this game, we know that we should’ve won this one, but Toronto made plays.

Harris was also frustrated after the loss as he added:

Yeah, definitely too many of them. The last three minutes, too many to count, so that’s the most disappointing thing about tonight’s loss, for sure…I mean, we have to be better. (In) the late fourth quarter we have to be better engaged offensively and defensively — executing on both ends of the floor.

Prediction

The Sixers are a much different team at home. They’re better in all facets of the game and the home crowd definitely gives this team a boost. Embiid is going to be super motivated to want to come out strong and put the nightmarish Raptors game behind him and come out and dominate at the level he’s been accustomed to playing at. Former Sixer Richaun Holmes will be tasked to slow down the All-Star and it’s hard to see it actually happening.

Pick: Sixers pull away late

Sixers vs. Kings season series

Game 1 November 27:

Game 2 March 5:

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Ben Simmons, Tobias Harris acknowledge Sixers have to be better

After another road loss to the Toronto Raptors, the Philadelphia 76ers acknowledge that they need to be better.

The Philadelphia 76ers have championship aspirations for the 2019-20 season. They certainly have the talent to get it done, but they need to clean up the mistakes they have made in plenty of games to begin the season.

In Monday’s 101-96 loss to the Toronto Raptors, the Sixers committed a lot of errors down the stretch that allowed Toronto to end the game on a 13-2 run to close out Philadelphia. The game was a bit of a litmus test for the Sixers as they were facing the defending champions and the team that eliminated them in the 2019 playoffs. It seemed like it was a missed opportunity being in the driver’s seat late despite the lackluster game from superstar Joel Embiid.

Ben Simmons, who finished with 10 points, 14 assists, and nine rebounds acknowledged that the Sixers let one slip away as he stated:

I think it was just overall the whole game – a lot of mental errors that we didn’t correct. Joel had a tough night, so that also doesn’t help. When we look back at this game, we know that we should’ve won this one, but Toronto made plays.

Simmons committed a bad turnover late as he and Tobias Harris had an opportunity for an alley-oop late with Philadelphia down by one, but Raptors star Pascal Siakam stepped in and intercepted the lob and the Sixers had to foul. Simmons had seven turnovers on the night and it was something that attributed to the loss overall.

Harris stated:

Yeah, definitely too many of them. The last three minutes, too many to count, so that’s the most disappointing thing about tonight’s loss, for sure…I mean, we have to be better. (In) the late fourth quarter we have to be better engaged offensively and defensively — executing on both ends of the floor.

These are easy mistakes to clean up as it is more about mental focus than anything else. They will return home on Wednesday, where they were undefeated on the season, to play host to the Sacramento Kings. That will give them a chance to bounce back before hitting the road again. [lawrence-related id=20064,20057,20050]

Sixers believe Joel Embiid is passing better out of double teams

The Philadelphia 76ers believe Joel Embiid is getting better at passing out of double teams.

The Philadelphia 76ers are definitely a talented group that has the potential to win an NBA title right now. While they added talents Josh Richardson, Al Horford, and Tobias Harris recently, the team will only go as far as Joel Embiid and Ben Simmons take them. They are the crown jewels of the organization.

For those two to reach their potential, they need to make subtle improvements to their games. For Simmons, there are the obvious jump shot issues and for Embiid, it has been making the correct reads out of double teams.

He’s such a dominant player that he gets doubles constantly every game in order to try and slow him down. Most of the time, he still gets his numbers, but he will have high turnover games and that can hold a team back from taking the next step.

After another dominant effort in a win over the Miami Heat on Saturday night, Embiid only had two turnovers and that was on the mind of Simmons after the win as he said:

He’s getting a lot better. Since I’ve been playing with him, he’s definitely improved a lot in that area. Reading when the guy comes and helps and just making the right play.

The Sixers have put talent around Embiid where he can make the right decision passing out of the double. Whether it’s passing out to Harris and Richardson camped out at the 3-point line or if it’s playing the high-low game with Horford or finding a cutting Simmons, there are options for him.

Coach Brett Brown has done his part in helping him understand these options and the floor spots:

We have spent a lot of time on floor spots, so some of that is on me. He knows now his outlets when he wants to quarterback a gym. He understands, and we can help him, where the double teams are coming from. We found those spots quickly and made shots from those spots. It’s always rewarding for him.

The Sixers now need to hope that this progression continues because if it does, the team’s dominant starting unit becomes that much better. [lawrence-related id=19988,19981,19973]

Sixers starting unit is outscoring opponents by average of 29.4 points

The Philadelphia 76ers have one of the more elite starting lineups in the NBA.

The Philadelphia 76ers had big plans when they brought in Al Horford and Josh Richardson to join Joel Embiid, Ben Simmons, and Tobias Harris in the starting lineup and so far, they are receiving some early season results.

The starting unit has only played seven games together out of a possible 15 due to various reasons such as injuries, suspensions, and the loathed rest day for a player, but in the little time they have gotten on the floor, they have been dominant.

The lineup has played 81 minutes as a group and they have an offensive rating of 118.2 couple with a defensive rating of 88.8. That type of dominant play has allowed them to have a net rating of plus-29.4 points. They have been absolutely terrific through this first stretch of the season.

Sixers managing partner Josh Harris said over the summer that he believes the Sixers have an elite starting lineup and so far the early returns have been very encouraging. This will still take time to completely perfect. This is not the finished product by any means and there will still be growing pains to go through, but the potential that general manager Elton Brand saw in this group is something tantalizing. [lawrence-related id=19981,19973,19967]

Josh Richardson says he saw Sixers’ chemistry get ‘better’ after win

Philadelphia 76ers guard Josh Richardson believes he saw some real chemistry growing in a win over the Miami Heat.

The Philadelphia 76ers projected starting lineup of Ben Simmons, Josh Richardson, Tobias Harris, Al Horford, and Joel Embiid entered Saturday’s matchup with the Miami Heat playing only 70 minutes total as a group. There have been a variety of reasons for why that’s the case from a nagging injury to Embiid, one to Simmons, and most recently, to Richardson.

As Richardson came back from his two-game absence from a hip flexor, the game marked only the seventh time the Sixers had had that full lineup all season. Against an 11-3 Heat team, the results were quite impressive.

Philadelphia’s starting lineup scored 94 points as a unit compared to Miami’s starting unit scoring 33 combined points and they scored 86 as a team. It was a dominant performance and Richardson noticed something very important growing: team unity.

Richardson stated:

I think I saw our chemistry get better. For instance, Tobias and I had a little back and forth, but nothing bad. It was one of those things where I was screaming at him for the ball to get it to a mismatch, but he didn’t understand it. We then explained it and it didn’t escalate. We fist bumped it and kept it going. I saw a few other instances like that. I think when you can go at your teammates like that and come out of it positively, that’s a good step forward.

This team is as talented as any in the league. All-Stars Embiid and Simmons can lead the way while players like Richardson fall in and play their roles to a T. Not only was the offense in a great groove, the defense was stifling as Miami could not find many clean shots on the night.

Simmons added on the starter’s defense:

When we’re all locked in defensively, our offense is just easy. Everything flows, we find each other and just play with a good pace.

The Sixers will now look to carry this type of effort and team chemistry to Toronto on Monday when they face the defending champion Raptors. [lawrence-related id=19967,19957,19949]

Sixers vs. Heat preview: Jimmy Butler makes his return to Philly

The Philadelphia 76ers seek a fourth straight win against the Miami Heat.

It’s been five months since Jimmy Butler decided to leave the Philadelphia 76ers for the Miami Heat in a sign-and-trade after 55 games with the franchise and a nice playoff run. Five months of fans dealing with anger and shock over the Sixers losing a player of such star caliber.

On Saturday night, they’ll finally be able to unleash that pent up anger.

The Sixers will look to make it four wins in a row when they welcome in Butler and the red hot Heat who are sitting at 11-3 after they knocked off the Chicago Bulls on Friday. Philadelphia will be looking to remain undefeated at home after they beat the San Antonio Spurs on Friday and both teams will be playing on the second night of a back-to-back.

With that said, it’s time for the preview with everything that comes with it:

How to watch Sixers vs. Heat:

  • Date: Saturday, November 23
  • Time: 7:30 p.m. EST
  • Location: Wells Fargo Center Philadelphia, PA
  • TV: NBATV, NBC Sports Philadelphia

Injury Report

  • Sixers: NOT YET SUBMITTED
  • Heat: NOT YET SUBMITTED

Storylines

Embiid’s relationship with Butler

Sixers All-Star Joel Embiid has made it clear that he and Butler still talk on a regular basis and he has made it known that he is a close friend of his. However, once between the lines, that friendship goes out the window and it’s time for work. Embiid understands that more than anybody as he stated:

It doesn’t matter, we’ve got to get the win. That’s my guy, obviously we talk a lot, but we’ve got to get the win. They(Miami) have been doing pretty good. They’re a pretty good team, so it’s going to be a challenge. We’ve got to come out and be ready like we did tonight and not mess around. At the end of the day, it’s all about winning the game.

Praise for Simmons

The Sixers All-Star point guard has received a ton of criticism over his lack of shooting, but that doesn’t mean he’ll back down. No matter what obstacle is thrown his way, he always seems to stand tall and bounce back. That’s something that caught coach Brett Brown’s eye after the win on Friday as he stated:

I see it in him, when he missed some free throws, it didn’t surprise me, like he was going to come back and make some. He doesn’t melt. Ben Simmons does not melt and I think that he, there’s an inner strength and confidence that I see at a young age that he bounces back.

Prediction

The Heat are more than just Butler. They have a roster filled with guys that only the hardcore NBA junkies are aware of, but guys like Duncan Robinson, Bam Adebayo, Kendrick Nunn, and others are stepping up and playing integral roles in the team’s success. The Sixers are the more talented team on paper, but this certainly will not be a cakewalk by any means. The Sixers better buckle down and be prepared for a fight, because that’s exactly what they’ll be getting.

Pick: Sixers squeak this one out

Sixers vs. Heat season series

Game 1 November 23:

Game 2 December 18:

Game 3 December 28:

Game 4 February 3:

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