Section 215
Fansided

Recent criticism surrounding Ben Simmons benefitting 76ers in big way

By Dan Parzych

NEW YORK, NEW YORK - APRIL 18: Ben Simmons #25 of the Philadelphia 76ers reacts to a foul call in the fourth quarter against the Brooklyn Nets during game three of Round One of the 2019 NBA Playoffs at Barclays Center on April 18, 2019 in the Brooklyn borough of New York City. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Elsa/Getty Images)
NEW YORK, NEW YORK - APRIL 18: Ben Simmons #25 of the Philadelphia 76ers reacts to a foul call in the fourth quarter against the Brooklyn Nets during game three of Round One of the 2019 NBA Playoffs at Barclays Center on April 18, 2019 in the Brooklyn borough of New York City. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Elsa/Getty Images) /
facebooktwitterreddit

For the second game in a row, Ben Simmons was unstoppable, and helped the Philadelphia 76ers pull off a big win over the Brooklyn Nets.

With a 2-1 lead over the Brooklyn Nets in the first round of the playoffs, the rest of the league is beginning to realize even more just how special of a player the Philadelphia 76ers have in Ben Simmons.

After a horrendous outing in Game 1 where he scored just nine points to go along with three assists and seven rebounds, the criticism was beginning to pile up for Simmons, and his ability to be the answer for the Sixers.

Despite all of the success from the former LSU star over the previous two seasons in helping Philadelphia become a top contender in the Eastern Conference, there are still doubters who don’t believe Simmons is the best option for this team.

Related Story. Ranking Eagles games from least to most difficult. light

But with Simmons leading the Sixers to two impressive wins in a row to help Philadelphia build a 2-1 lead in the series, those same doubters are beginning to realize just how special of a player he truly is.

One game after recording a triple-double to help Philadelphia pull off the 145-123 victory in Game 2, Brooklyn had zero answers on Thursday in regards to stopping Simmons after the Sixers star posted 31 points on 11 of 13 shooting.

When taking into consideration that Simmons finished 8-of-12 from the field in Game 2, it looks like all of that recent criticism, including the surprise comments by Jared Dudley, have motivated the guard to recently step things up when Philadelphia needed him the most.

At this rate, the Sixers should hope the criticism of Simmons continues since he looks like an individual playing with an extra chip on his shoulder this week, and it’s been paying off in one of the best ways possible.

Philadelphia may be feeling confident up 2-1 in the series at the moment, but even they know this series is far from over, especially with all of the uncertainty surrounding Joel Embiid‘s knee after the All-Star center missed Thursday’s game.

Next. 3 reasons Eagles should love Howard trade. dark

However, if Simmons continues to play at the high level from the previous two games, the Sixers could find themselves in great position to close out this series next week, and focus their attention on the semifinals since that has the potential to be even more challenging.