The Sixer Sense
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Ben Simmons continues to elevate his play during win streak

By Christopher Kline

ATLANTA, GA - MARCH 30: Ben Simmons #25 of the Philadelphia 76ers reacts during the game against the Atlanta Hawks at Philips Arena on March 30, 2018 in Atlanta, Georgia. 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. (Photo by Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images)
ATLANTA, GA - MARCH 30: Ben Simmons #25 of the Philadelphia 76ers reacts during the game against the Atlanta Hawks at Philips Arena on March 30, 2018 in Atlanta, Georgia. 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. (Photo by Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images) /
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The Philadelphia 76ers are reaching new heights, and Ben Simmons is the reason why.

Coming into the season, I don’t think anybody expected the Philadelphia 76ers to make this much noise. Lingering concerns over Joel Embiid‘s health made some pundits doubtful, while Ben Simmons wasn’t supposed to look like an All-Star in year one.

It looks like even the most optimistic fans underestimated the Sixers’ ability.

Philly had its share of cold spells early in the season, but that changed as soon as the calendar flipped to 2018. They’ve lost one true home game since January began, while their defense continues to rank among the best in the league.

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A major reason for that success, of course, is Joel Embiid. He’s the best center in basketball and somebody who’s talented enough to anchor a competitive team on both sides of the ball. When he’s on the floor, the Sixers are playing like one of the best teams in the league.

The NBA’s six most effective three-man pairings are from the Sixers, and all six happen to include Joel Embiid. That’s an insane impact for somebody who has played just 94 career games.

Embiid is out, though, and the Sixers are now forced to survive without their best player down the stretch of the regular season. JoJo’s orbital fracture — which he sustained in a collison with Markelle Fultz‘s shoulder, because of course — will keep him out until the postseason.

That means Ben Simmons needs to step up, and so far he’s doing just that.

Simmons has been in his bag lately, picking teams apart with passing that’s eerily Magic-esque. Embiid got most of the credit when he was on the floor, but Simmons’ recent stint of dominance extends well beyond their first game without the big fella.

In his past 10 games, Simmons is averaging 13.2 points, 10.1 rebounds and 11.8 assists per game while shooting 56.9 percent from the field. He’s doing that in just 31.1 minutes per game as well, which is well below his season average. That means the Sixers are blowing teams out, and Simmons is a major reason why.

Even when he isn’t scoring, Simmons has the rare ability to put entire defenses on a string. He has so much gravity when driving the lane that open passing lanes tend to emerge on a consistent basis. If they don’t, he’ll normally find a way to make the pass anyway.

That excellence peaked  in Sunday afternoon’s win in Charlotte. With Embiid and Dario Saric on the bench, Simmons put together 20 points and 15 assists while limiting his turnovers to just one. He completely controlled the game in a way few players can.

It’s worth tying the Rookie of the Year debate into this as well. Donovan Mitchell is good, and I was extremely high on him coming into the draft. He’s an absolute stud and somebody who should be an All-Star for the foreseeable future.

That doesn’t mean he’s anywhere close to Rookie of the Year. Simmons makes the kind of all-around impact that Mitchell simply can’t keep up with, playing elite defense and providing a constant presence both on the glass and as a playmaker.

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Not to oversimplify things, but Mitchell is a better volume scorer. That’s it. He averages 4.5 more points per game, but he also averages five more shot attempts and shoots threes. The difference in made field goals per game is just 0.8, to boot.

Simmons can get his as a scorer, even if he’s more limited in terms of range. He’s also a top-30 player, a level of performance that Mitchell simply hasn’t reached yet. Now that he’s keeping the Sixers afloat sans Embiid, the case against Simmons is running awfully thin.

Home-court advantage is still in jeopardy with Embiid on the sidelines, but Simmons is doing his best to keep the Sixers going. They’ve won 10 straight, and their schedule boasts plenty of opportunities to extend that streak.

Next: 4 things to watch for in Joel Embiid's absence

You can disagree with the methodology all you want, but the process yielded two legitimate superstars and some high-level supporting pieces in Dario Saric, Markelle Fultz and Robert Covington. The Sixers should be competitive for a long, long time.