The five most important games for Ben Simmons this season

The Philadelphia 76ers second-year rookie, Ben Simmons will have his first opportunity to show the NBA what he can do. These are five games that will give him the chance to showcase his enormous skills.

After a memorable off-season, Philadelphia 76ers’ fans finally have the team’s full NBA schedule to dissect. Between Joel Embiid’s social media shenanigans and the presence of No. 1 overall pick Markelle Fultz, it’s easy to lose sight of the fact that this season will represent Ben Simmons’ first tour around the NBA. The anticipation over what is expected to be a stellar rookie class, the Sixers’ star-in-waiting has largely been overlooked by the national media.

Philadelphia fans, of course, can’t wait to see what their new 6’10 point-guard can do. While it’s a long season, these five dates will help tell the story about whether Simmons is ultimately lives up to the sky-high expectations.

Wednesday, October 18 — at Washington Wizards

Yes, it’s obvious to say that a player’s first NBA regular season game is an important one. However, that isn’t what makes the Opening Night match-up with the Wizards so interesting with Simmons. Right out of the gate, there will be a defensive mismatch that 76ers’ coach Brett Brown will have to adjust for.

Does Simmons try to guard Washington’s superstar point guard, John Wall? The Wizards’ All-Star probably hopes so. He most likely won’t slide over and try to check Bradley Beal, either. Will he hover on the perimeter with Otto Porter? Who, in short, is Simmons going to guard? Brown’s main task through the preseason and the early regular season will be to figure out the best way to keep Simmons from looking foolish on the defensive end.

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Wednesday, November 15 — at Los Angeles Lakers

In a nationally televised ESPN game, all eyes will be on the top two picks in the most recent NBA Draft, Fultz and Lonzo Ball. With noted Embiid nemesis LaVar Ball prowling around the Staples Center, shilling for his Big Baller Brand and mugging for the cameras, the game has potential to turn into a media circus.

The game, of course, also features the first two picks from the 2016 Draft in Simmons and the Lakers’ Brandon Ingram. More than just facing the player whom he dueled for the No. 1 pick, Simmons will also be facing off against the Balls. It was his tweet on draft night that started the back-and-forth between Embiid and the Ball paterfamilias.

While most of the Philadelphia 76ers seem to want a piece of the Lakers’ mega-hyped rookie, Simmons might have the most to prove. After all, it will be the new point guard’s first chance to answer those whispers in NBA circles that Ball isn’t just better than Fultz, but Simmons as well.

Monday, November 27 — at Cleveland Cavaliers

LeBron James was on the Simmons bandwagon before the LSU product was even drafted. Simmons and James are both represented by LeBron’s longtime pal, Rich Paul, and have been workout buddies the last two off-seasons.  James’ Twitter shout out to Simmons, on his 21st birthday, sent Philadelphia 76ers’ fans into a frenzy.

https://twitter.com/KingJames/status/888092689752879105

Unlike Kyrie Irving, the Sixers star doesn’t seem to mind being mentored by James. In fact, Simmons has seemed to invite the comparisons between his game and the King’s. While the team’s will play three more times, this is the first chance to see the teacher and pupil on the court at the same time — and, it’s also the most likely of the teams’ meetings that James won’t sit out with “back spasms.”

Tuesday, February 27 — at Miami Heat

Just after the All-Star break, this Tuesday night game in Miami is the middle game of a 3-game road trip against some of the top teams in Eastern Conference. Sandwiched between tilts with Washington and Cleveland, it’s a traditional trap game. The Heat barely missed the playoffs last season. In a weakened East, they’re now expecting to ride Hassan Whiteside and a collection of good not great players back into the postseason.

These will be the dog-days of the NBA season, when everyone is tired and just trying to make it to the end. If the Sixers want to make the playoffs this season, this is exactly the kind of game that they need to win.

Besides not playing last year, Simmons college career consisted of only only 33 games. This will be game 58 of Philadelphia’s season. If Simmons is playing at a high level in a game where plenty of players would mail it in, then that bodes well for the future.

Wednesday, April 11 — Milwaukee Bucks

If everything goes right, the final game of the season against the Bucks will have playoff implications. Of course, in the worst case scenario, the 76ers will have already been eliminated and Simmons, along with Embiid and Fultz, won’t be playing.

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The hope among fans, though, should be that both teams still have something to play for because the idea of watching Simmons face off with Giannis Antekounmpo as a precursor to the Eastern Conference playoffs is mighty tasty. Milwaukee is one of the teams that the Philadelphia 76ers are frequently compared against when discussing the up-and-comers in the NBA. Making a statement against The Greek Freak heading into his first playoffs would be a perfect way to cap off Simmons’ first season.