3. Ben Simmons shoots a real three-pointer
Prediction: Ben Simmons attempts a non-buzzer-beating shot from behind the three-point arc on a fast break or a set halfcourt play.
This is more of a wish than a prediction, but Simmons is the type of person that always wants to prove his doubters wrong. Everyone, including his own fans, seriously doubts his jump shot, so it makes sense that he will come back and at least attempt some shots from deep in games if he has at least a semblance of confidence in his stroke.
The Australian point guard attempted 11 threes in his 81 regular season games and missed all of them, partially because they were all buzzer-beating attempts from really long range, and partially because they guy just can’t shoot. Last summer, he posted a video of himself on Instagram hitting nine threes in a row in an empty gym, but he never took advantage of teams daring him to shoot in actual games.
In the playoffs, the Boston Celtics figured out how to defend the 6-foot-10 point guard, and they did so by hanging off him until he got about 20-25 feet from the basket, and then they turned on the physicality. That played a big part in his infamous one-point game in Game 2 of the series, and it also led to an unusually high turnover total for Simmons.
He said he will not start using his dominant right hand to shoot, which is cause for concern. His stubbornness on this issue means that he either feels really comfortable shooting with his left, or he does not want to admit he’s wrong. The first step to figuring it all out is for him to actually start taking jump shots in games, so this season, he will attempt to expand his range in games.