The Sixer Sense
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Ben Simmons Will Kick Up Sixers Pace Tremendously

By Matt Delaney

Jul 12, 2016; Las Vegas, NV, USA; Philadelphia 76ers forward Ben Simmons (25) dribbles the ball during an NBA Summer League game against the Golden State Warriors at Thomas & Mack Center. Golden State won the game 85-77. Mandatory Credit: Stephen R. Sylvanie-USA TODAY Sports
Jul 12, 2016; Las Vegas, NV, USA; Philadelphia 76ers forward Ben Simmons (25) dribbles the ball during an NBA Summer League game against the Golden State Warriors at Thomas & Mack Center. Golden State won the game 85-77. Mandatory Credit: Stephen R. Sylvanie-USA TODAY Sports /
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Ben Simmons will be a game changer when he plays for the Philadelphia 76ers. One of the biggest things he will do is kick up the pace.

Unfortunately, less than a month before the start of the 2016-2017 NBA season, Ben Simmons broke his foot during practice, requiring him to sit thus far this season as he recovered from injury. He will finally play sometime in February according to ESPN commentators, but the Philadelphia 76ers have not given a clear timeline on when to expect him back.

When Ben Simmons does return to the lineup, there will be changes in the way the Sixers play. The biggest and most visible change will be that Simmons will be the primary ball handler. Brett Brown has stated prior to the start of the season, that he envisions Simmons playing point guard. This is possible on the offensive end, however on defense there will likely be cross match-ups with other players. At 6-10, Simmons will have difficulty guarding and staying in front of smaller, quicker guards.

So, what kind of offensive sets can we expect to see the Sixers run with Simmons in the lineup? First, we can expect the pace of the Sixers to increase with Simmons on the floor. We are seeing guards rebound the ball at a higher rate than ever in the NBA. This is primarily because teams are shooting more 3-point field goals attempts than ever in history. Long shots make for long rebounds.

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At 6-10, Simmons will get his share of rebounds, even if he is defending away from the basket on the perimeter, and once he gets a board, he likes to push it down court. Simmons is an elite passer and at his size, he can see over just about anyone. Whether he’s throwing a pin-point outlet pass down court or dribbling the ball himself, it’s fast.

Simmons can go coast to coast with the ball while only putting it on the floor as few as 4 times, however, he typically does it in 5-6 dribbles while attacking the rim. In a half-court set, he can explode to the basket from beyond the 3-point line in only one dribble. This puts a lot of pressure on defenders and not a lot of time for defenses to rotate on his dribble penetration. While playing for one year at LSU, 32 percent of Simmons’ total assists were completed in transition. He likes to rebound the ball, then run the floor.

Simmons excels in a full-court game, hitting cutters with timely passes and shooters ready in catch & shoot positions. Simmons like to get into the paint and draw multiple defenders to create offense for others. During tournament play this summer in Las Vegas and Utah, Simmons averaged 5.5 assists & 7.8 rebounds in 30.3 minutes of play and 5.5 assists & 7.5 rebounds in 26 minutes of play respectively.

In his one year at LSU, Simmons averaged 19.2 points, 11.8 rebounds (Conference high in the SEC), and 4.8 assists. Simmons was also responsible for 26 percent of LSU’s total offense. Simmons also likes to play the passing lanes. At LSU, he averaged 2.1 steals per 40 minutes of play. This also lends itself to the fast pace style of play that he flourishes at.

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The Sixers have a young roster. Only Ersan Ilyasova, Gerald Henderson, and Jerryd Bayless have over 5 years of NBA experience. The rest of the roster is comprised of younger players in their first 4 years of league play. A younger team, equals a more active team capable of getting out and running with Simmons.

Even young frontcourt players like Joel Embiid and Nerlens Noel like to get out and run in the open court. With high energy and deliberate rim runs, these bigs will be rewarded with easy baskets while playing along side Simmons.

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I don’t think Bret Brown expects an offense that plays at the pace of Loyola Marymount in the late 1980s, but something akin to what Mike D’Antoni runs in Houston is definitely in the realm of possibility. The Sixers rank in the middle of the league in pace at 14th of 30. I believe the addition of Ben Simmons will push them to the next level, and create some easy baskets for the Sixers. The question is, how many additional wins will it equal this season??