Every season ends the same way for the Sixers. They end up losing in the second round of the NBA playoffs and fans and the media criticize Ben Simmons for not attempting any shot from outside the paint and being afraid to go to the foul line.
There is another superstar who gets criticized for attempting jump shots because, like Simmons, he usually misses them. He just won his first NBA championship. His name is Giannis Antetokounmpo.
Antetokounmpo and Simmons have a lot in common. Their strength is to attack the basket and nothing else. Even though they both have the same strengths, they both play very differently, and Simmons tends to hurt his team while Antetokounmpo helps his team.
With all the trade talk surrounding Simmons and seeing Giannis lead the Milwaukee Bucks to a championship, perhaps Simmons can learn a few things from watching the Greek Freak.
What Sixers’ Ben Simmons can learn from Giannis Antetokounmpo: Attempt 3-point shots
Both Simmons and Anteokounmpo shot 30 percent from 3-point range in the regular season. The difference is Simmons attempted 10 shots from beyond the arc and Antetokounmpo attempted 221, making 67 of them.
Because Antetokounmpo is not afraid to attempt them, it forces the defense to guard him at the top of the key, and then he can use his quickness and size to attack the basket. Comparing this to Simmons, who dreads shooting the 3, the defense can back off and take the rare chance that he will shoot, or just wait for him to pass the ball.
If Simmons began to attempt the 3-point shot, it would keep the defense honest and they would have to begin respecting his shot.
What Sixers’ Ben Simmons can learn from Giannis Antetokounmpo: Play with confidence
After the Sixers’ playoff run and second-round exit, fans began to question Simmons’ confidence on offense. It began during the first-round matchup against the Washington Wizards, when the Wizards would play “hack-a-Ben” — fouling Simmons on purpose in the fourth quarter so he could go to the free-throw line.
Simmons did not attempt a shot in the fourth quarter in five of the seven games during the second-round matchup against the Atlanta Hawks. That is not what the fans or the Sixers’ front office want to see from their $177 million man.
I think in Game 7 against the Hawks, when Simmons passed up the wide-open dunk and decided to pass the ball to teammate Matisse Thybulle, is when every Sixer fan was done with Simmons.
I think it’s clear the Sixers fandom has a love-hate relationship with Simmons. During the regular season, Simmons plays hard every game and looks like he loves playing basketball. He has fun, plays with confidence, and does everything the coaches ask (except shoot if they ask him to). However, in the playoffs, it’s like a switch turns off in his head. He plays afraid and it seems like the pressure gets to him and he can’t adjust his offensive game to counter the defensive adjustments.
If Simmons learns anything from Antetokounmpo’s championship run, it’s that he needs to play with confidence and keep the defense honest by not shying away from 3s. Even if Simmons takes four per game, it would be enough to start getting the defense to think about his shot.