Ben Simmons Won't Give Celtics Defense Credit After His One-Point Game
BOSTON (CBS) -- Ben Simmons is a magician with the basketball, and his all-around play was one of the main reasons many saw the Philadelphia 76ers as a favorite to win the Eastern Conference.
But the rookie has pulled a disappearing act against the Celtics, and Philadelphia now finds themselves in a 2-0 series hole after Simmons' worst game as a professional. The 21-year-old scored a whopping one point for the 76ers in his 31 minutes during Thursday night's 108-103 Celtics victory. He had more turnovers (five) than shot attempts (4), and for one of the few times during his first year on the floor, looked like a rookie desperately trying to find his way.
Even after being frustrated all night, he wouldn't give Boston's suffocating defense any credit after the game.
"It was mainly what I did to myself," Simmons told reporters after his one-point wonder. "Mentally, I was thinking too much, over-thinking the plays. Wasn't just out there, flowing, playing the way that I play, which is free. Obviously I know what their game plan is. I've got to play my game.
"I think first series, the way the Heat played, is nothing compared to the Celtics. Physically, the Heat were on another level," added Simmons. "But yeah, I think it was self-inflicted from myself, personally from my own game."
As if the Celtics needed any more motivation as they head to Philadelphia for Game 3.
Simmons can't shoot his way out of a paper bag, so the Celtics have spent the first two games of the series swarming him with a series of different defenders. Al Horford, Marcus Smart and Marcus Morris have each done their best to keep Simmons from getting an open lane to the basket. Good things tend to happen when Simmons can head to the hole with a full head of steam. But he shot just 6-for-15 in Boston and missed all four of his shots on Thursday. His only point came at the free throw line, and he went to the charity stripe just twice in Game 2 after making 11 visits in Game 1.
At the end of Game 2, Simmons' final stat line was about as modest as it could get, with five rebounds and seven assists to go with that one measly point. Usually if he's not putting the ball in the basket, he's getting his teammates involved and dishing out assists. But he couldn't get anything going thanks to Boston's stifling D, and spent a giant chunk of the third and fourth quarters on the bench. When Simmons checked back in with five minutes left, Philly led 93-91, but Boston went on a 13-4 run to pull ahead.
Simmons is a minus-44 during his 73 minutes on the floor for the series. Yikes. At least Philadelphia head coach Brett Brown gave Boston some kudos for their physicality on Simmons on Thursday night.
"There's a physicality and switch-ability that they got apples for apples on many, many different matchups. With Ben, they do a good job defending him," he said. "There's an element of physicality that I feel that they have applied to all of us and tonight Ben struggled as we see. I do give Boston's defense a lot of credit."
We'll see if Simmons can break out of his funk when he hits his home floor on Saturday afternoon, or if the internet will have reason to make more hilarious memes about the rookie. But if the Celtics' defense has their way against Simmons again, Philadelphia is in big, big trouble.
