The Philadelphia 76ers were without Ben Simmons for eight straight games prior to the NBA suspension, and it couldn’t have worked out better.
As hope remains in the NBA community to find some kind of closure this year on the court, the Philadelphia 76ers are quietly thriving while their players are off of it — with Ben Simmons at the forefront.
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When reports surfaced in late February on Simmons’ back injury, the notion of him returning by the team’s first postseason game looked bleak, especially given the history of these issues. But the 23-year-old point guard has had nothing but time to recover.
According to ESPN‘s Jackie MacMullan, Simmons was permitted, per NBA guidelines, to visit the Sixers’ practice facility for treatment in April. Not only does this bode well for the third-year veteran — keeping the basketball in his hands and staying in shape — but for the entire Sixers team who were stuck in a state of disarray before the days of social distancing, mostly due to injuries. Joel Embiid (shoulder) and Tobias Harris (knee) were receiving treatment, Al Horford was dealing with knee soreness and Josh Richardson was fresh off a short absence from a concussion.
In other words, one of the best lineups in the league looked about the same as they have most of the year — banged-up and fatigued. The hiatus was exactly what they needed, though nobody wanted to see it.
For a red-hot performer like Shake Milton, the hiatus isn’t what he needed, as he was putting the finishing touches on his breakout season. The second-year guard was shooting 45.3 percent from deep, and has done a phenomenal job of holding down the fort with Simmons sidelined. Unfair for the SMU product. But on a brighter note, he has earned his keep in The City of Brotherly Love.