3 matchups to watch in Wizards first round series: Ben Simmons vs. Russell Westbrook
Some would argue that the Sixers should have Ben Simmons defend Beal as Simmons’ a top candidate for the Defensive Player of the Year, however that wouldn’t be the best use of his talents. He would best affect the flow of the game by defending Russell Westbrook.
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Westbrook is the most athletic point guard in NBA and the All-Time leader in triple-doubles. He controls the flow of the Wizards offensive and gets other players involved. Impeeding his playmaker and scoring would force Beal to beat the 76ers by himself, which Beal hasn’t been able to do in the past.
Having a bigger player on Westbrook would take away his ability to score around the rim and force him to be an outside shooter which he can’t do consistently. The Boston Celtics had forward Jayson Tatum guard Westbrook in the Play-In Tournament and it limited the point guard’s effectiveness on offense in that game.
Having a disruptive defender like Simmons would also make it hard for Westbrook to get his teammates involved. At 6-foot-10, Simmons is big and quick enough to give Westbrook problems. Slowing down Westbrook is key in making this an easy series for Philly.
In terms of production, both point guards impact the game on every level. Westbrook has averaged 22.2 points, 11.5 rebounds, and 11.7 assists, while shooting 31.5 percent from the 3-point line. Simmons averages on the year are 14.3 points, 7.2 rebounds, 6.9 assists, and 1.6 steals.
The focus of this matchup for Simmons will be on defense, but he needs to be aggressive on offense as well. That means seeing him get a few pull-up jumpers and getting to the free throw line at a higher rate than he did for most of this season.
There are going to be some great matchups in this first round series between the Philadelphia 76ers and Washington Wizards. How the Sixers do in these matchups will dictate if they can get a sweep or not.