Philadelphia 76ers Ben Simmons holds key to 76ers NBA Playoffs

The Philadelphia 76ers Ben Simmons defies traditional roles as he continues to pillage the NBA with triple doubles. But as the season draws to a close, he holds the key to carrying the Philadelphia 76ers into the playoffs

Philadelphia 76ers’ point guard Ben Simmons is just an NBA rookie. A rookie in the sense that this is his first year of NBA play. First time facing NBA teams. And even first year of putting in an 82 game season.  And yet, his production leads many to see him as something more, an enigma of sorts.  You see, he has the size and power of a front court power forward. He can deliver the ball through the hoop in a crowd. Conversely, he is the primary ball handler. He can run the floor, translate plays from the white board of head coach Brett Brown onto the basketball court, and distribute the basketball to the cleanest shot.

As a rookie, that’s quite a truckload of responsibility.

Rookie Ben

The framework of someone so new to the NBA performing like this is mind-boggling. So far, he’s handling the load at an incredibly high level.  As far as expectations for his rookie season? He’s smashed those high expectation weeks ago.  As a matter of fact, he’s already generated six triple-doubles as a rookie.

Six.

But there is always a subplot on the Sixers to distract fans from the display on the basketball court.  Until this season, there was always the “What will the team do with Jahlil Okafor?”.  Now that issue has resolved. And so, the team replaces that mystery with a new puzzler: What is behind the curtain on Markelle Fultz? As the team pauses on a five-game winning streak, they are now sitting at 30-25 with 27 games remaining in the season.

30 wins with 27 to play

30 wins is significant. The last time the Philadelphia 76ers enjoyed that number of wins was the 2012-2013 season. That was the first of three seasons where the Philadelphia 76ers did not make the playoffs. Following that year, head coach Doug Collins resigned. A month later, general manager Tony DiLeo was out too, and the arrival of Sam Hinkie and Trusting the process began. DiLeo was with the 76ers for 23 years.  The start of a new era began.

That new era is now coming full circle.  Five seasons later, the Philadelphia 76ers are in the NBA Playoffs discussion. And beyond that, the 76ers sent three players to the NBA Rising Stars game. One of whom is the point guard most argued could never play at the point at the season’s beginning. And he does, well.

The new norm

But all the while, rookie Ben Simmons continues producing at this incredible level, and we’ve grown numb to it. Like the sound of the nearby highway or the smell of country air, the constant display of this level of basketball is now baked in with out expectation. He is averaging 16.4 points, 7.8 rebounds, 7.3 assists, and 1.9 steals per game.

The team is on  a five-game winning streak.  In fact, since the Philadelphia Eagles have won the Super Bowl, the Philadelphia 76ers have won each game.  While it’s not a streak anyone expects the team to carry through to season’s end, it’s happening at just the right time. You see, the Philadelphia 76ers are making their playoff push. And Ben Simmons is playing at a very high level.

Playoff push

But he can do better. For the Philadelphia 76ers to make the playoffs, he must. The Philadelphia 76ers have two versions of the team: with Joel Embiid, and without Joel Embiid. Philadelphia 76ers fans know this. So you can bet that the NBA teams know this as well.  Every NBA playoff series is a higher level of basketball. As two teams face the same opponent for a best of seven series, overall scheme is thrown out the window as teams play to neutralize their opponent’s best player(s).

In order on the Philadelphia 76ers, that ranking would be: Joel Embiid, J.J. Redick, and finally Ben Simmons.  And that is where Ben Simmons must make the opponent pay as he faces the NBA’s best:

Putting up good numbers.

More Ben

Not simply on his own, but in facilitating his teammates into clean looks.Still, the path to do that means that Simmons will need to take over games in the fourth quarter.  Recently, the team has begun to do that.  The latest win before the All-Star break found the Philadelphia 76ers far behind on the scoreboard and without team leader Joel Embiid. At halftime, the score read 62-39.

The outlook was bleak. But the team fought back. Or as Simmons said it himself in a post-game interview:

"“It just shows what kind of team we are,” said Simmons, who finished with 18 points, 12 rebounds and 10 assists. “Fighting back, staying with it. Knowing he’s (Joel Embiid) out, I had to be more aggressive and get my teammates involved. Everybody played well.””"

A comeback win. A great win. And a solid showing for Simmons

Simmons key for NBA Playoffs

Simmons is the key to the NBA Playoffs for the Philadelphia 76ers. While the NBA braces to face and neutralize Joel Embiid, they take their eye of the other young star.  And it’s that way for any newcomer to the Playoffs. And that is something these Philadelphia 76ers must come to expect, and play through.

But it will not simply be  a matter of just showing up to the post-season stage. it will be a matter of paying the dues, earning their reputation, and winning games by outplaying the competition. And it cannot fall to one player. Simmons cannot allow that to happen.

The NBA will test Embiid’s durability. Simmons must be ready.

Turnabout is fair play on Turnovers

We know that Ben Simmons and Joel Embiid account for nearly half of the team’s league worst 16.7 turnovers per game. That statistic has not improved in the slightest as the team rolls into the last third.  So far, the 76ers continue to win.  But that will not be the case as the Sixers enter post season. Any vulnerability will be the first area exploited by their opponents. So the 76ers have already broadcast several strategies for playoff opponents to challenge them.

Next: Philly was well represented in Rising Stars Challenge

But that could prove to be a 76ers advantage too. Heading into post season, knowing what the team does not do well, gives the 76ers an advantage of sorts.  Once more, it’s up to Simmons. A seven game series does afford the 76ers’ rookie a short duration series to set the tone.  Unlike the different-opponent-every-night, Simmons will be able to set up the opponent. And you can bet that head coach Brett Brown will take full advantage of his towering point to center height. Simmons must step up. He must facilitate. But most of all, he must lead the team now. And he will.