The Sixer Sense
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Ben Simmons is reclaiming his ROY lead

By Christopher Kline

PHILADELPHIA, PA - JANUARY 5: Ben Simmons #25 of the Philadelphia 76ers enters the arena prior to the game against the Detroit Pistons on January 5, 2018 at Wells Fargo center in Philadelphia Pennsylvania. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and/or using this Photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2018 NBAE (Photo by Jesse D. Garrabrant/NBAE via Getty Images)
PHILADELPHIA, PA - JANUARY 5: Ben Simmons #25 of the Philadelphia 76ers enters the arena prior to the game against the Detroit Pistons on January 5, 2018 at Wells Fargo center in Philadelphia Pennsylvania. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and/or using this Photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2018 NBAE (Photo by Jesse D. Garrabrant/NBAE via Getty Images) /
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After a rough stretch, Ben Simmons‘ improved play has helped spark the Philadelphia 76ers‘ recent four-game win streak.

In some ways, Ben Simmons got unlucky. In almost any other season, his production would be more than enough to win Rookie of the Year without any debate. This season, however, an elite rookie class with some outlier prospects has given him some competition.

Donovan Mitchell, Jayson Tatum and Kyle Kuzma have all put together compelling cases. None of them have leapfrogged Simmons yet, but their statistical output and efficiency numbers stretch well beyond typical first-year expectations.

At this point, Mitchell is probably his primary competitor. The Jazz are still fighting for a playoff spot to some degree and he’s their best player. Averaging 23.1 points per game during the month of December is certainly a way to bolster one’s stock.

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What made Mitchell’s case stronger, however, was Simmons’ subpar performance in that same month. The Philadelphia 76ers struggled as a whole, while Simmons was limited as a scorer and turned the ball over at a high clip.

It felt like defenses had finally unlocked Simmons’ cheat code, and he simply didn’t do enough to stop it. With Mitchell playing like a star — and Tatum/Kuzma in a similar boat — that was enough to generate some concern over Simmons’ standing in season-long awards race.

That concern, while still there, has diminished greatly over the past week or so. Mitchell is still a baller, but Simmons is finally upping his aggressiveness and reclaiming his role as the Sixers’ no. 2 option alongside Joel Embiid.

In short, he’s starting to look like the Ben Simmons we saw at the beginning of the season.

That improvement has come with a four-game win streak for the Sixers, which is no coincidence. When Simmons is getting into the lane and looking for his own shot, it unlocks parts of the offense that are otherwise unavailable. He has some insane athletic gifts and the skill to back it up — he just has to use them.

In his last three games, Simmons is averaging 22 points, 6.0 rebounds and 6.3 assists per game. He’s also taking nine free throws per game and knocking down 66.7 percent of his shots from the stripe, which is perhaps the most notable statisitc of all.

Related Story: Ben Simmons needs to embrace the free throw line

During his holiday slump, Simmons was flat-out avoiding the free throw line at times. For somebody whose scoring only comes in the paint, that’s the kind of mental block he desperately needs to get over. Right now, it looks like he has.

It’s tough to draw any conclusions from a three-game sample, but Simmons seems to be returning to form. On top of that, the Sixers are finding their groove around him, with J.J. Redick hitting shots and Dario Saric finally building on what he showed last season.

On the season, Simmons is averaging 16.9 points, 8.4 rebounds and 7.5 assists while shooting 51 percent from the field and thriving on the defensive end. The fact that he’s an elite defender is an underrated storyline in the Rookie of the Year debate, while the rest of his resume warrants All-Star consideration.

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Simmons won’t have a cakewalk to the award, but he’s still the prohibitive favorite and is starting to regain some of the cushion he had previously lost.