Sixers star Ben Simmons discusses his continued playoff struggles
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Philadelphia 76ers star Ben Simmons is one of the more unique players in the NBA. The guy is an All-Star and he is an elite defender in the league, but on offense, he continues to be a headcase on that end of the floor.
After scoring just five points on four shots where he did not take a single shot in the fourth quarter in Sunday’s Game 7 loss to the Atlanta Hawks, it continued a troubling trend in the playoffs for Simmons. His offensive numbers are just not good enough to get it done in the postseason and there are times where he does not even look to score.
He averaged 9.9 points and 8.6 assists in Round 2 with the Hawks and he shot just 33.3% from the foul line. He did shoot 60% from the floor, but he only took 6.4 shots per game. That just cannot happen for a guy like Simmons who has so much size and skill and can get to the basket whenever he wants to.
Are the playoffs just too much for him to handle?
“No, no,” Simmons said. “I’m not gonna let you say that. We lost. It sucks. I am who I am. It is what it is. It’s not easy to win and it shows. I work. So the first thing I’m gonna do is clear my mind and get my mental right.”
For Philadelphia to get to where they want to go, they will need Simmons to understand that while he obviously does so many good things out on the floor to impact the game and help the Sixers succeed, he has got to be better in the playoffs. He has got to begin seriously developing his offensive game for the team to succeed.
“You can’t take games for granted,” he said afterward. “Especially in the playoffs. Every game matters. Every possession matters.”
A question then becomes should Simmons be Philadelphia’s point guard if he is such an offensive liability? Should he maybe be moved to power forward where he can be closer to the basket? It is clear that come playoff time, better teams will do a better job of walling him off from getting to the basket. That is what happens in the postseason so maybe keep him closer to the basket where he can succeed.
“I’m gonna do what I gotta do and work on my game to better,” Simmons finished. “That’s not my focus right now. It’s about Game 7. Never let the highs get too high and the lows get too low. For me, it’s more work, get my mind right, and get my body right for next season. Control what I can control.”
Philadelphia will now have a decision to make in this offseason about what to do with the All-Star moving forward.
This post originally appeared on Sixers Wire! Follow us on Facebook!
