The Sixer Sense
Fansided

Philadelphia 76ers Ben Simmons Markelle Fultz 1st postseason

By Bret Stuter

PHILADELPHIA,PA - MARCH 26 : Markelle Fultz
PHILADELPHIA,PA - MARCH 26 : Markelle Fultz /
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Philadelphia 76ers
PHILADELPHIA, PA – APRIL 8: Ben Simmons #25 of the Philadelphia 76ers handles the ball against the Dallas Mavericks on April 8, 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) /

Ben Simmons refinement

Rookie point guard Ben Simmons is an incredible athlete at the most demanding NBA position. And if that is not enough, he’s blessed with the wrong physical dimensions for the position. After all, he’s 6-foot-10 and 230 pounds. He competes at a position where agility, speed, twitchy quickness, and a feel for the court are the expectations. And I don’t have to quote Einstein’s theory of relativity to explain how much easier it is to get a 6-foot-4 200 pound frame moving quick than a 6-foot-10 230 pound frame.

But Ben Simmons is no ordinary NBA talent. In fact, the NBA has not seen a rookie start off THIS good since Oscar Robertson.  No, he’s not scoring 30 points a game. But he’s practically a swiss army knife on the basketball court. And as a rookie, the more he plays, the better he plays.

Out from Embiid’s shadow

Joel Embiid is the star of the Philadelphia 76ers. It’s who he is. From the origins as the high risk/high reward player chosen by team president Sam Hinkie in the 2014 NBA Draft, to the social media superstar, Embiid embodies all that the Philadelphia 76ers are at this point in time.  But Ben Simmons is equally impactful. With the recent injury to Embiid, Ben Simmons now stands under the spotlight.  It’s important for Simmons to know he can pull the team through tough times.

He gets better with each game. In six games in April 2018, he’s averaging 18 points on 65.8 percent shooting, 9.7 rebounds and 9.3 assists per game. He’s also getting 2.5 steals per game on 30.8 minutes of play.

Ben Simmons is improving because that is exactly what very talented rookies do. And that upward trend will carry well into his first postseason experience.