[holefillers1Participant]

He has not been the same player since the Wizards game when they put him on the FT line for the whole league to see. I am going to to say it…dude is missing something. I’m not talkin about just his shot so save your rhetoric. Simmons has all world talent and has already shown he can effect the game just about whenever he wants.

Ben Simmons problem lies in how he wants to be perceived. His shot IS STRAIGHT BROKE. what I see on the court is a guy who is afraid to fail. Or at least is afraid of the appearence of failure. He is not going to fix his shot one day in practice and then instantly implement it on the court.
This is a classic example of Simmons grappling with his shitty shot and his ego. Ultimately how he wants to be perceived by the league.. I am starting to see a sense of entitlement on his end.

Dear Mr Simmons,
You are not as good as LeBron right now. So do what you can to win the game NOT what you can to hide your weaknesses. Complacency isn’t the word but it’s starting to dance around on the tip of my tongue. Shoot it, dunk it, I dont care but don’t get all the way to the rim only to jump in the air while turning around and heave it back to the three point line..TJ can do that shit. When you go 5-6 from the floor and lose to the Kings at home it does nothing but make me want to rip up your T-shirt jersey. Your triple doubles are becoming less meaningful each time you take the court.

Sincerely, One Concerned Fan

[BeastMode716Participant]

 I’m just not going to drive to the Rim in the 4th Qtr any more so you CANT put me on the Free Throw line 

Simmons has Very little Alpha in him 

W/ Embiid out Again Simmons to SIX shots Total

Sorry Sixers fans but that is a Really bad team 

Coaching is bad, GM is a disaster & Embiid has Already missed almost 25% of your games & you are 1-7 w/o him

They lead to LEague in Turnovers per game, almost lead the League in Fouls & Everyone on the team has a Grenn Light to shoot 3’s even though they are one of the Worst 3 pt shooting teams in the NBA 

No direction, No discipline, Awful guards so No perimeter Defense 

W/o Embiid Phila is a 15 win team

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[holefillers1Participant]

Sadly…I agree

[GBeeParticipant]

I think what you’re trying to say is that Ben needs to grow a pair. He can only score around the rim and he sucks at FTs.  Opposing teams know that and play him accordingly when the game is on the line, but what do you think is the better play at the end in tight situations: him getting fouled en route to the bucket or him kicking it out to JJ or Covington for a 3?

Watching this stretch of 10 games or so is just a reminder that the real star on the team is Embiid and that the 6ers need a secondary ball-handler and a closer at the end of games.  Hopefully Fultz pans out and can be that. 

  

[holefillers1Participant]

Embiid played so many minutes the other night that he has to rest for two games…load management or possibly a sore back….this is starting to sound like the CIA in Wormwood.

 

Pretty sure a little LSD couldnt make things any worse…right?

 

 

 

 

[Magic JordanParticipant]

 In my experience LSD has never made anything worse.  Different?  Sure, but never ever worse.

[Memphis MadnessParticipant]

 He fell out of my vaunted NBA MVP Power Poll a few weeks ago… slipping stats and fewer wins will do that.  Philly has fallen after being the darlings of the league earlier in the year. A few people are also hopping off the Embiid/Simmons/Process Hype Train.  Now the Big Baller Hype Train was overbought, then crashed, and is probably on its way back up again.

Simmons and Lonzo have similar hype, irrational appeal, and some of the same strengths (passing, filling stat sheets) and glaring weaknesses (3 point shooting, free throw shooting), although, stylistically they are a bit different. Simmons a Magic clone. Lonzo, a Larry Bird type. With Lonzo, at least he is making a few 3’s (although taking too many). And his free throw deficiencies don’t seem as glaring. 

Embiid is still living up to my Ralph Sampson comparison — in more ways than one.

The Blue Chips unicorn combo can probably still make a major run this year, but who knows, maybe they supplant the Shaq-Penny Magic as the best young dynasty that never was.

[markfitz14Participant]

Bird is one of the best shooters of all time. Thats what he hung his hat on. No similarities to Bird in there games. 

[Magic JordanParticipant]

 Don’t look now but Lonzo is shooting 38% from 3 in his past 10 games.  

[mowestenParticipant]

They’re still really young. I get what everyone is saying about Simmons, but many were saying the same about LeBron much later in his career — he lacked the killer instinct, couldn’t shoot, was too passive, etc.

 

I’m willing to give Simmons some time and see if he works on the weaknesses in his game. Let’s see. If he comes back next year and can’t, or won’t, shoot it from outside 10 feet and his free throws are still broke, then there’s probably cause for concern.

 

On the other hand, I can’t really think of many players at his age who were more productive who literally couldn’t shoot from outside the lane. If he adds a jumper, it increases his confidence, opens up his game even more, and the sky is the limit. He’ll be a bonafide MVP level player perhaps.

 

If he doesn’t, the worst he will be a really unique, unorthodox all-star type player whose game is a little odd ball, but relatively effective.

 

As for the 76ers future with those two, you’re right, it’s all about Embiid. If he’s healthy and continues to improve, they’ll be a contender in a couple years. If not, they probably won’t be. That’s just reality.

 

I’ve been pretty critical of the 76ers “process” but it is what it is. They need to be patient, let these guys learn how to play and win at this level and continue to add things around them. I think it’s a little too early to say it’s going to be a loser long term, but I do think it could go either way to be honest.

 

[BothTeamsPlayedHardParticipant]

Something something process. 

I can’t quite remember, because it was five years ago… maybe it has something to do with reaping massive profits from drastically slashing payroll and collecting shared revenue while convincing fans that putting together a successful team requires no effort, just patience.

To be fair to Simmons, he is the bright light. He can’t shoot, won’t defend, and has a very lax style, but he can play and is a very difficult matchup. One has to hope his feet stay functional. Embiid can’t play for a month, with rest days built in, without his body breaking down. I’m sure that will continue to go over well when he is making $25 million next year. They are five years into this thing, and nobody knows whether Brett Brown is a good coach. They are pitiful defensively in 4th quarters with the last two games really highlighting it, though it has been the case the whole year. They gave up 30 to Sacramento, -13 for the quarter. They were up 8 to Chicago with less than 4 minutes, and had ZERO stops until Chicago was up 5. Even if you set aside the injuries, they are a poorly assembled collection of players. 

 

[holefillers1Participant]

Part of me was hoping my OP would garner a bunch of negs and everyone would tell me to settle down, quit overreacting.

I can honestly say that the light at the end of the tunnel is starting to take the shape of an on coming train.

[HitsterParticipant]

 Simmons can work on his FT, the Sixers must have a shooting coach or I’m sure Jerry Colangelo can go to his book of contacts and find someone to speak to Simmons. With Embeast being out, the Sixers will not be the same team and they are still missing Fultz. 

Maybe Simmons does need a bit of that Alpha mentality as he is the main ball carrier and would be the person the team may look to in order to win tight games. Sure Embeast is the main threat but he needs the ball to be passed to him and Fultz needs to be playing before we can really say what he should and shouldn’t do.

  

[Memphis MadnessParticipant]

 Lonzo reminds me of Bird with his demeanor, quicker with the ball than without, great passer, loves the touch pass, ball moves quicker with Lonzo out there, tries to make the right play, really good rebounder, can get up and through it down, but not a true dunker, although Lonzo can finish an alley oop with anybody.  Bird could shoot of course, but he had a funky wind-up and was probably more streaky than you would think.

Couldn’t shoot for anything in the title game vs. Michigan State (Bird that is).

Didn’t really shoot all that great against Houston in the 1986 Finals but dominated the boards.

I think his season high for 3’s was 86 or 88.  Didn’t even get 100 in any one season.

Bird was basically a set shooter with an unorthodox shot, but he had a great runner.

Lonzo isn’t a pure jump shooter and needs to work on his floaters, runners, jump hooks, and post-up moves.

Lonzo loves the 3 ball, but I don’t think that he should take more than 2 or 3 a game.

Finally, back to Larry Bird, the man probably has the BEST all-around YouTube highlights of ANY former NBA superstar.  Possibly even better than Pistol Pete.  Ironically, Manute Bol has the most MIND-BENDING YouTube highlight reel.  One video package featuring his blocked shots, dunks, 3’s, and outlet passes, is probably THE BEST single YouTube highlight video.  

I don’t look at Magic’s YouTube highlights as much, but his stuff is closer to Ben Simmons’.  Fancy passes, drives, and hook shots, with some lucky jumpers.

Michael Jordan: Wow. Great highlights, obviously.  Closest to that now, in my opinion, is actually Greek Freak.  Giannis’ highlights remind me more of a prime, dunking, slashing, soaring, gravity-defying MJ than anybody else.

Joel Embiid: the next Ralph Sampson.  

Maybe the Sixers are doing a sneaky tank job.  Get a 3rd unicorn to go with Embiid and Simmons as a hedge that Fultz doesn’t fully pan out (or his upside really isn’t that high).

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[mowestenParticipant]

 It’s a real stretch to compare Ball to Bird other than both their names start with the letter B. 

I’ve been critical of Ball here, but mostly it’s pointed at the circus he brought with him and the over-the-top self-promotion. It only works in a society the values attention more than production, but that’s another story for another day.

On the court, I don’t know that there has ever been an NBA star that consistently played harder than Bird. It’s partially why his body broke down. He hustled, 24-7, moved without the ball, cut, screened, re-cut, posted up, played at the high post, and on the perimeter. 

He was a great shooter for where guys shot the ball in his time, the 17-20 foot range. There arguably hasn’t been a better shooter in NBA history from that range. The 3-pointer wasn’t a shot that NBA players attempted a lot during Bird’s day, but that doesn’t mean Bird and Ball are comparable shooters or players. That’s insane.

Ball has strengths as a player — he’s unselfish, has great court vision, rebounds well for a PG and his defense has gotten significantly better. However, his offense right now is limited to lay-ups in transition and awkward step back 3-pointers. You hardly ever see Ball in a full sprint unless he has the ball in his hands. He’s the complete opposite of the word hustle.  He rarely if ever moves without the ball. In that regard, he and Bird have nothing in common. They are complete opposites in every possible way when it comes to motor and intensity.

To be frank, I’m not sure what you’re talking about.

 

 

 

 

 

 

[SlickBouncePassParticipant]

But the problem isn’t only Ben Simmons, the problem is what you expect of Ben Simmons. 

Simmons maybe runs a little too mcuh point.  They need to switch off him to get him some mismatches and then feed him the ball in the post.  Unfortunately, Embiid is out, but Embiid commands so much attention by a team’s Defense and Simmons commands so little, that teams are willing to let Simmons roam.  

Nobody else garners attention like this.  This is why Markelle Fultz is so valuable.  When Embiid is out, just like the Heat when Lebron was out you still had Wade…

When Embiid is out, you still need someone that can crash the defense and find teh open guy.

Listen, Ben Simmons is what he is.  He’s a unicorn, he’s flash at 7 foot.  He’ll get mismatches and throw down dunks, do what smaller AVERAGE point guards can’t do.

The great scoring guards, can get their own regardless of their size.  If you were to rank guards, you’d rank scoring guards, then a point guard like Ben Simmons who can see over defenses and post up and beat smaller players, then bad guards.  Simmons is a nice stat-collector guard, but he’s not your #1.  He’s a great player to have on a great team, on a bad team he doesn’t do much to help you because of his limitations.

Teams that play great D, teams that amp up their defense, sorry, you can’t tell Ben Simmons to take over the game, sorry its not gonna happen.  If defenses focus on Simmons, Simmons game becomes garbage.  He not only has to work on his jumper, he has to work on his ability to cross over weaker defenders, and he has to work on his defense, and he has to work on turning the ball over less, and he has to work on Finishing at the rim.

The kid’s far from a finished product its just people fall in love with size.  I’ll be honest I used to go back and forth between Ingram and Simmons, I actually loved Ingram’s smooth game.  But Simmons was a bonafide freak at his size, the athleticism was too much to pass up so I understood Simmons at 1.  But I always love triple-threat potential and Ingram definitely had it.  But Ingram’s size still remains a question in this league, but I bet…deep down, Embiid wishes he had Ingram because he knows Ingram could do a lot more working off of him.

Ben’s a really nice player, Ben ain’t taking a team nowhere single-handedly, he aint Lebron.  Ben has a lot ot work on in his game before he even approaches Lebron.  

Having said all this, the man still puts up triple doubles.  I hope he gets better as the year progresses, but as I’ve said multiple times, the man will be Markelle Fultz at the end of the game.  Fultz and Embiid will run pick and roll, and Simmons will be the opportunistic scoring option.  The guy that fights and gets that crucial offensive board putback because he’s got a mismatch on him.  

Stay patient, lower the expectations, The Sixers are better than Sacramento and Chicago.  Chicago literally shot the hell outta the ball and Sacramento is more hungry.  With Embiid no way Sacramento wins that game.  

Its not Simmons.  I blame Brett Brown’s lineups and execution more than blaming Simmons for this.  Embiid being out helps nobody.  

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

  

[OhCanada-Participant]

 Guys trust the process lol! No better time then now!

[LA12Participant]

 In the end of the day, we’re talking about a rookie who’s putting up near triple doubles every night. He’s got so much basketball ahead of him. I think Simmons is so ridiculously good that you’re forgetting that we’re not even half a season into first year playing in the NBA. He’s got so much time to grow, and it’s not like Philly’s trying to win the ring this year or anything. We waited until Lebron was losing Finals to give him these kinds of criticisms, so why are we just throwing them at a player who hasn’t even played an 82 game season yet? Giannis didn’t develop this alpha mentality until, what, his third season in the league? Let’s pump the breaks and not overreact. 

 

[SlickBouncePassParticipant]

Its not that he’s passive.  He actually plays hard and wants to win moreso than anyone except maybe TJ McConnell.

Its that he CAN"T DO IT.  The guy is not skilled enough to drive to the lane and get you that bucket that you need.  Or be like Kobe and get you that last second bucket at will.  You’re asking him to do something he cannot do.

Right now, his biggest problem is, when teams amp up their defense, he can’t do anything with the ball.  Brett Brown doesn’t have people running ot set picks for him so he can go around and abuse the smaller player.

 

I mean, if freakin Josh Jackson is hounding Ben Simmons near the half court line, why not have Booker or Holmes run out and set a pick for Simmons.  That frees Simmons up and he gets a head start and gets by the bigger man.  This forces your defense to collapse, even though the Center is already out the paint or about to get blown by by Simmons.  Then SImmons looks for either Bayless Reddick or Covington for a wide open three once he collapses the paint.  Its really simple but Brett Brown apparently wants this team to figure it out on their own?  Go through growing pains?  

Makes no sense, its either you free up Simmons under an overpursuing player, or or give the ball to Markelle Fultz and let him do his thing, or obviously find Embiid.  

Just do SOMETHING, not let Simmons bring the ball up hang around the perimeter and watch the shooters play hot potato until someone throws up a bad shot or God forbid please no throw it into Holmes and expect him to get his own bucket.  

  

[holefillers1Participant]

 I would trade Booker, Holmes AND Amir Johnson for Reggie Evans..FYI Evans was my least favorite Sixer ever…was

[OhCanada-Participant]

 Yeah you guys are tripping I see this "kid" (because you gotta remember he is still a kid) throwing elbows, hitting guys in the jaw and just straight bullying men 7/15 years older than him while talking trash. Dont tell me he has a weak mentality this guy is a stone cold killer. He really just needs to work on his shot. Andre Drummond shot below 40% from the free throw line throughout his career before working on it just this offseason and has imrproved to 63% this year. Simmons form isnt unrepairable he will improve.

[Taylor Gang MikeParticipant]

 We should have Drafted Tatum

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Author]

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