Philadelphia 76ers: Historic night for Ben Simmons

Rookie phenom Ben Simmons compiled a genuine masterclass in the Philadelphia 76ers’ commanding win over the Chicago Bulls.

A day after being informed he was not selected to the 2018 NBA All-Star Game, Ben Simmons wasted no time in stamping his mark on the remainder of the season.

Following a disappointing loss on the road to the Memphis Grizzlies in which they squandered a 15-point third quarter lead, the Philadelphia 76ers and Simmons were keen to make amends. From the outset, it was Simmons who was determined to ensure the Sixers wouldn’t go home empty-handed as they played host to the Chicago Bulls.

By the end of the first period, Simmons had already notched eight points, 11 rebounds and five assists as he simply took control of proceedings. Come the end of the game, the early Rookie of the Year favorite had posted 19 points, 17 rebounds, 14 assists and two blocks as the Sixers cruised to a convincing 115-101 win.

Following this remarkable performance, Sixers’ head coach Brett Brown was naturally high in his praise:

"“He rebounded and instigated a lot himself, he was able to control stuff when he rebounds, he can rebound and takeoff. I still think that is the hardest thing too guard….I think that the style of the game, rebounding, it allowed him to put his thumbprint on this game in a big way early.”"

Aside from the obvious dominance at the offensive end of the floor, Simmons again demonstrated why he has already developed into a genuine two-way player. In addition to his two blocks, Simmons also recorded four deflections, just above his season average of 3.0 per game, which ranks him 14th in the league.

Teammate Joel Embiid, who posted 22 points on the night, also commented on Simmons’ big night:

"“Ben was really aggressive today, over 10 rebounds in the first quarter….he was just focused from the get-go….he was extra-aggressive offensively. Besides Australian night, I think he just really wanted it tonight.”"

The Australian night Embiid mentioned was that this game featured the first ever Australian Heritage night hosted by the Sixers, whereby Australian pie manufacturer Four’N Twenty are utilizing the popularity of Simmons throughout Unites States as an opportunity promote and push their product to the American market place.

But back to the game, and to put in context just how impressive this performance was, the following tweet clearly illustrates where it ranks in league history:

Notably, this was already Simmons’s fifth triple-double of the season, where he trails only Russell Westbrook (14) and LeBron James (seven) in that category. Through 43 games, Simmons now averages 16.4 points, 8.1 rebounds and 7.4 assists in 35.1 minutes per game.

While an All-Star berth in his rookie season has eluded him, Simmons’ nonetheless will still be headed to the festivities in Los Angeles, having been selected to the World Team as part of the Rising Stars Challenge, which features the league’s best first- and second-year players.

Considering the absence this game from the likes of J.J. Redick and T.J. McConnell, this performance was even more vital than usual for the Sixers, who after the win currently sit seventh in the Eastern Conference standings with a 23-21 record.

Next: 2017-18 Week 15 NBA Power Rankings

So whether or not it was just a coincidence, Australian Heritage Night in Philadelphia certainly brought out the best in Ben Simmons.