Roundtable: Thoughts on Ben Simmons’ first month
Justin Boguslavsky
Thus far in the young season, it is safe to say that Ben Simmons has not only been the best rookie in the league, but has even made his case to be the best player on the Sixers’ roster.
Simmons has already exceeded expectations, as he has recorded two triple doubles within his first nine games, and is putting up stellar numbers. He is nearly averaging a triple double, as he is scoring 17.8 points, 9.2 rebounds, and 7.5 assists per game.
In addition to lighting up the stat sheet, Simmons is starring in the highlight reel on a nightly basis. Is it even a real Sixers game if I don’t get at least five Bleacher Report notifications of Simmons posterizing opposing players?
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No jump shot, no problem
Simmons’ greatest area of concern prior to the start of the season, was his jump shot, or lack thereof. However, this has proved to be a non-issue 13 games into the season, as Simmons is putting up 17.8 points per game and has a 48.6 field goal percentage.
When Simmons is not putting the ball in the basket, he is still putting points on the board, finding open looks and hitting teammates with his lightning-quick passes. As long as Simmons keeps this up, his lack of a jump shot will not be a problem.
What to expect moving forward
Simmons already looks like an All-Star, just 13 games into his young career. He has been a difference-maker for the Sixers, and the team is winning lots of games as a result. Thanks to his strong play, the Sixers are on pace to make their long-awaited return to the playoffs.
With or without a jump shot, Simmons will be one of the league’s best for many years to come. If Simmons ever does develop a jump shot, he may very well end up as one of the best to ever play the game.