

Butler’s not around anymore, though, and Josh Richardson is no Jimmy Butler. Sometimes, that is the case it was especially the case when Butler would take over the offense for stretches last season. Because he doesn’t space the floor or have big scoring takeovers, he can look passive and ineffectual. This is where the eye test betrays Simmons’ contributions. But beyond that, you can’t reasonably review the data and come to the conclusion that Simmons is the problem with the Sixers’ offense: he’s the only thing keeping it in the vicinity of respectability. When Simmons sits and Embiid is on the floor, it’s 105 (not very good). The team’s offensive rating this season when Simmons is on the floor but Embiid is not is 108.8 (pretty good). To go a step further, the Sixers have an offensive rating of 106.7 (average) when Simmons and Embiid share the floor. It’s a team-worst 103.1 (awful) when Simmons sits. Per, the Sixers’ offensive rating (or points per 100 possessions) with Simmons on the floor is 109.6 (good). In fact, the problem with the Sixers’ offense is what happens when Simmons isn’t on the floor. But you can’t pin the team’s offensive underperformance on Simmons. In theory, this is all belied by the fact that the Sixers have a mediocre offense this season, despite Simmons, Harris, and for 31 of the team’s 47 games, Embiid.

Seven of Simmons’ 11 field goal attempts per game come at the rim, and he shoots 72 percent on those shots, per. 5 in assists per game this season) and he gets to the rim frequently and finishes as well as anyone. Redick in the past, Tobias Harris now).īut Simmons is an elite passer (No.
Ben simmons stts plus#
He doesn’t take three-pointers and plays with a high-scoring star in Joel Embiid plus other major scorers ( Jimmy Butler and J.J. He’s hovered around 16 points per game for his career, and his career high is 34. On offense, as noted, Simmons doesn’t quite score like most others. His league-leading penchant for steals (2.2 per game) opens up the best part of his game, too: transition offense. You wouldn’t put Simmons among the 10 best defenders in the league, but you would say that he’s one of the best NBA stars on the defensive end - not as good as Giannis Antetokounmpo or Anthony Davis on that end, but better than most. But he passes the eye test with flying colors, and Philadelphia has had an elite defense in two of Simmons’ three NBA seasons. He hasn’t received serious All-Defense team consideration in the past, and the various adjusted plus-minus statistics don’t show him as a top defensive point guard at this point.

What he does for the 76ers goes well beyond that, and if you refuse to acknowledge it, you’re fooling yourself.ĭefensively, Simmons is among the top flight of star players.

He’s a legit superstar, even if he doesn’t put up gaudy scoring totals or have a highlight reels of clutch shots. Usually, when it comes to players like this, the truth is somewhere in the middle. Some think he’s a run-of-the-mill high-hype athlete you can’t count on late or build a champion around. Ben Simmons is one of the en vogue NBA lightning rods, a player that otherwise reasonable people can disagree heartily about.
