Ben Simmons playing off the ball continues to be a treat to watch.
Simmons has moved to power forward for the NBA’s restart, and the switch has further enabled his mobility, quickness and athleticism. The Philadelphia 76ers played against the Oklahoma City Thunder during their second scrimmage in the bubble Sunday, and Simmons had a nice alley-oop slam in the third quarter.
The Sixers tweeted a video of Shake Milton lobbing Simmons the pass, and Simmons freed himself with a nice back cut. The play was indicative of Simmons’ versatility, and it was more proof of how the position change allows him to showcase more of his dynamic game.
.@SniperShake ⬈⬈⬈ @BenSimmons25
📺 @NBCSPhilly & @NBATV pic.twitter.com/lG1dagEbBF
— Philadelphia 76ers (@sixers) July 26, 2020
A two-time All-Star, Simmons is making some instrumental changes in his game. Sixers coach Brett Brown recently called Simmons’ increased willingness to shoot 3-pointers a ‘paradigm shift.’
Simmons made a 3-pointer during the Sixers’ first scrimmage against the Memphis Grizzlies, comfortably releasing the shot from the corner. With Simmons playing off the ball, he’s going to be harder for opponents to guard.
Placing him on the ball often allows defenses to stay in front of him easier. While he can drive to the hoop well, he hasn’t shown the ability to pull up and shoot. Defenses have no reason to pressure him because of this.
But when he’s playing off the ball, Simmons can cause more confusion and attack holes in a team’s defense.
The Sixers will play their final scrimmage Tuesday against the Dallas Mavericks. Philly’s first seeding game will be Aug. 1 against the Indiana Pacers.
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