Simmons the star again

BEN Simmons and his Philadelphia 76ers have held off the Los Angeles Clippers in a thriller to achieve what the young Australian described as the team’s best win of the year.

The 76ers fought back from a six-point deficit in the final minutes to win 109-105 in LA.

The 21-year-old from Melbourne achieved his eighth double-double in just his first 13 games in the NBA, a feat that has him on the path to become Australia’s first basketball superstar.

“I thought he was dominant tonight,” 76ers coach Brett Brown, said. The 76ers, the NBA’s worst team in recent years, were jubilant in their locker room in Staples Centre in downtown LA after the win.

The victory raises their season record to seven wins and six losses. They have the seventh best record in the Eastern Conference. “It was big,” Simmons, said of the win. “We needed to get back on track. “I’d say it is the best one so far.” The 76ers were on the fourth game of their five-stop west coast road trip and had lost consecutive games to the Sacramento Kings and Golden State Warriors. Simmons had 22 points, 12 rebounds and four assists against the Clippers.

76ers centre Joel Embiid, with 32 points and 16 rebounds, won the battle with Clippers AllStar big man DeAndre Jordan.

76ers forward Robert Covington also came up big with 31 points, including a late threepointer.