Simmons comes up short for Philadelphia
Simmons has 13 assists but scores just 5 points in season-ending loss to Hawks
PHILADELPHIA >> Instead of making their first trip to the Eastern Conference finals in 20 years, the Sixers were left to explain how they lost three home games in a best-of-seven series for the first time since 2001 against — you ready for this? — the Los Angeles Lakers.
In a postseason where the NBA title is up for grabs, the Sixers took their shot and rode quietly off into the sunset after a 103-96 loss to Trae Young and the Atlanta Hawks Sunday night at Wells Fargo Center.
Even the disciples of trust the process should be able to recognize it’s just not going to work with the ultra-talented Joel Embiid and the offensively deficient Ben Simmons eating up a chunk of the salary cap.
If you wonder whether Simmons could still be a point guard for a championship team, you aren’t alone. Sixers coach Doc Rivers wouldn’t give Simmons a vote of confidence after the game.
“I don’t know the answer to that question,” Rivers said. “I don’t know the answer to that.”
In case you’re wondering if Simmons would consider a position change, the answer is
maybe.
“I’m going to do what I have to do, and work on my game to get better,” Simmons said. “That’s not my focus right now.”
The Sixers had their chances.
Embiid drained a threepointer with 10:37 left to knot the score at 76. With 10:07 left he nailed a jump shot to give the Sixers a 78-77 lead.
The game was tied 8484 inside of six minutes.
Young and Embiid exchanged floaters, Kevin Huerter tallied and after Matisse Thybulle missed the first of two free throws — after Simmons seemed to pass up what would have been an easy dunk or layup — the Sixers were forced to reset.
Not long after that, Young drained just his second three-pointer in 11 attempts to give the Hawks a 93-86 advantage, their largest of the second half. Then he did his Reggie Miller and jawed with fans in the lower bowl. The ignominy of that earned him the same sort of vociferous booing the Sixers got when Young was fouled with 4.5 ticks left and fans pelted the court with trash. Young again stared fans down when the clock ran out on the season and for all practical purposes, the process.
Speaking of which, Simmons, the first pick in the 2016 draft, and one of several players the Sixers lost game after game to secure, did his thing with 1:48 remaining.
After a timeout, the Hawks went to Hack-aBen, Huerter fouling him. Anyone who watched the pregame warmups knew this was going to work because Simmons needed several racks to make more than 50 percent of his shots.
Simmons made one of two, getting the Sixers within 93-90. But that was it for passing him the ball. The Sixers would have to complete the game playing four-on-five on offense because at that point Simmons was just 25 of 73 (.342) from the line in the postseason.
“I feel like I found my guys,” said Simmons, who contributed five points, eight rebounds and 13 assists. “It was a tough night (shooting for Young). Offensively I probably didn’t do a lot. There’s a lot of things. I’ll have to go back and watch the film.”
Young’s performance down the homestretch was short of sensational, for he spent much of the game going 5-for-23 from the field. He finished with 21 points and 10 assists.
Huerter erupted for 27 points, including three clutch free throws with 54 seconds to go to boost the Hawks’ lead to 96-92.
“Some of those shots were really tough shots,” Rivers said. “Give him credit. The kid struggled in Game 6 and was phenomenal tonight, He made big shots. He was really like the deciding factor in this game — clearly.”
Embiid had 31 points but was stripped of the ball late by Danilo Gallinari resulting in a breakaway basket. That’s what happens when you play a man down on offense.
The Sixers have spared no expense building their roster. But they don’t need a $30 million glorified screen-setter, which basically is the role Simmons has on offense. Simmons’ rebounding and defense help. But not nearly enough to justify his price tag.
If Matisse Thybulle has proven anything in this postseason, it’s that he’s on track to be their defensive stopper of the future. He would be a cheaper option than Simmons.
Getting rid of Simmons, on the other hand, won’t be easy. Particularly after the basketball world watched him disappear in Game 7.