Sixers: Here’s why Ben Simmons needs to guard Bradley Beal

I’ve covered the three most important matchups in the Sixers series against the Washington Wizards before the first round began. However, it’s time to admit that I was wrong about two of those matchups, as I did on our most recent The Sixer Sense Podcast episode.

In said article, I wrote that Ben Simmons should be guarding Russell Westbrook, and then the combination of Danny Green and Matisse Thybulle would be guarding Bradley Beal. However, that didn’t happen in Game 1.

Green guarded Westbrook, while both Simmons and Thybulle took turns guarding Beal, with Simmons taking the lion’s share of those possessions. Not only did Simmons do a great job defending the All-Star shooting guard, but he needs to continue to do so for the rest of this series.

Sixers need Simmons to continue to defend Beal.

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In Game 1, Beal finished with 33 points, 10 rebounds, six assists, and six turnovers, while converting 13-23 of his field goals and 1-6 from the 3-point line. Not the best game from Beal in terms of 3-point shooting and turnovers, but on the surface, it looks like Beal got the better of Simmons.

However, a deeper dive into the numbers would show otherwise. When Simmons was the primary defender on Beal, Washington’s shooting guard had two points, three assists, three turnovers, while going 1-6 from the floor and 0-4 from deep.

Simmons didn’t do a good job, he did an elite job when he guarded the elite shooting guard. However, there were times when he had to switch because of screens or Beal had his way with other defenders on the Philadelphia 76ers.

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Simmons’ size and quickness provides a tough challenge for the NBA’s second-leading scorer. Beal’s still going to have his moments, but if having Simmons on him would limit those minutes, it makes winning this series a lot easier for the Sixers.