Simmons, Embiid dominate in Sixers’ win over Hawks
PHILADELPHIA » Joel Embiid was bleeped on TV when Ben Simmons slapped him on the chest during another victorious postgame interview.
The red band version of Simmons’ highlight reel looked at times almost obscene to Atlanta: He switched from his left to right hand mid-air to score a bucket. Simmons let the ball roll high off his right fingertips for another uncontested score.
And the exclamation point, a thunderous slam in the final minute that had fans standing and chanting “Trust the Process!”
Simmons had 19 points, 13 rebounds and nine assists, and Embiid had 21 points and 12 rebounds to lead the Philadelphia 76ers to their third straight win, 119-109 over the Atlanta Hawks on Wednesday night.
“Yeah, I’ve gotta dunk more,” Simmons said. “I don’t know. I just get out there and I’m like, uhh, these guys are pretty big. Once I start dunking it ...”
His thought trailed off but the Hawks — and the rest of the NBA — got the message. Simmons is the real deal.
Simmons, the No. 1 overall pick in the 2016 draft, has lived up to his top billing in his rookie year. Simmons has scored in double figures in every game and flirted with his second triple-double.
Simmons keeps saying he can play better — but the 21-year-old guard has already joined Oscar Robertson as the only players in NBA history with 100 points, 50 rebounds and 40 assists in his first six games.
Just how much more is he capable of the rest of the way?
“There’s a lot more. Way more,” he said. “I think in a few years, it’s going to be fun.”
Robert Covington scored 22 points to help the Sixers (4-4) reach .500 for the first time in four years. The Sixers’ rebuild more commonly known as “The Process,” isn’t a success yet. But it’s November and they don’t have a losing record.
The Sixers were fired up coming off wins on the road at Dallas and Houston and hit their first six 3s of the game. They led 25-8 and had everything going right in their first win at home this season.
In coach Brett Brown’s five seasons, the Sixers had not been at .500 since they were 5-5 on Nov. 15, 2013. They started that season 3-0 and lost the opener — and many more after that — in each successive season.
Dennis Schroder scored 25 points and Taurean Prince had 17 for the woeful Hawks.
“We’ve got to find a way to eliminate the slow start,” coach Mike Budenholzer said.
TIP-INS
HAWKS » G Malcolm Delaney left with a sprained right ankle. He scored eight points . ... The Hawks opened the fourth 0 for 11 with four turnovers. 76ERS » Dario Saric was in the starting lineup for the third straight game and JJ Redick started after he missed the last two games with tightness in his back . ... The Sixers had 12 assists on 14 baskets in the first quarter.
UP NEXT
HAWKS » Host Houston on Friday. 76ERS » Host Indiana on