Ben Simmons’ classy act as Brooklyn Nets humiliate 76ers

Philadelphia fans came ready to boo, but Ben Simmons and the Brooklyn Nets had the last laugh in NBA action.

Ben Simmons returned to Philadelphia.

Ben Simmons made two trips to Philadelphia last season and was booed on both occasions.

Even more time has passed since the Australian was traded to Brooklyn but 76ers fans clearly won’t be forgetting about Simmons anytime soon, once again loudly booing every time the three-time All-Star touched the ball at Wells Fargo Center on Sunday (AEDT).

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Sixers fans welcome Ben Simmons back to Philadelphia 😬 pic.twitter.com/VSWx1e3rT4

— NBC Sports Philadelphia (@NBCSPhilly) February 3, 2024

“They’re going to boo him until the lights go off,” Marc Jackson said on NBC Sports Philadelphia.

It was the only real noise the 76ers fans were making though, quickly silenced by a runaway Nets team that made easy work of their Eastern Conference rivals on the way to a 136-121 win.

It ended a nine-game losing skid for Brooklyn against Philadelphia and marked Simmons’ first victory against his former team since being traded.

Despite the less than welcoming reception from the older members of the Philadelphia fanbase, a classy Simmons was spotted pre-game signing autographs for young Sixers supporters.

Ben Simmons signing autographs for young Sixers fans 🙌

(via @BySamDiGiovanni) pic.twitter.com/PpHQqRvr0j

— ClutchPoints (@ClutchPoints) February 3, 2024

The Nets made a concerted effort to get the ball in Simmons’ hands early on Sunday in a bid to get their high-tempo transition offence going and at times it was the Australian himself initiating it, active on the boards and then pushing the pace for fast-break points.

Even when Simmons was off the floor, Brooklyn was able to keep the buckets falling as young guard Cam Thomas put on a show in a 40-point performance.

It is no coincidence that Brooklyn’s two highest assist totals of the season have come in its past two games with Simmons on the floor, recording 41 against Utah and 35 against Philadelphia.

Overall, five Nets players finished on double figures as Brooklyn made it three wins from its past four games.

Ben Simmons had some impressive moments. Tim Nwachukwu/Getty Images/AFP

The 76ers, on the other hand, have now dropped five of their last six as they face the reality of being without reigning MVP Joel Embiid for an extended period.

Tyrese Maxey, who exploded for 51 points in Philadelphia’s win over Utah, scored 23 points but it was far from enough to see the Sixers even threaten the Nets.

Simmons was again on a minutes restriction on Sunday, with Nets coach Jacque Vaughn telling reporters pre-game that there was no timetable on when that may be lifted.

“There will be a progression of minutes added on to it before it’s completely lifted,” Vaughn said.

“That’s just going to be how he responds from game to game.”

Simmons only played 14 minutes on Sunday largely due to the fact it was a blowout win, finishing with nine rebounds, five assists, a turnover and four personal fouls.

Simmons did not attempt a single shot in the game.

The Australian was ruled out of Brooklyn’s last game against Phoenix after suffering swelling in his knee after falling awkwardly following a blocked shot.

“That is not at all something that’s going to linger,” Vaughn added.

“It’s something that just acutely happened in the game. With a couple days of treatment, it responded. Hopefully, we continue down a path of playing.”

The Nets jumped out to an early 11-8 lead on Sunday, with Nic Claxton active on the glass after recording all five of Brooklyn’s defensive rebounds in the first four minutes.

At that point neither team was shooting very well from deep, with the Sixers going 0-for-4 from downtown while the Nets had only made one of six three-point attempts.

Part of that came back to the fact Simmons started the game off the bench, as he had done in his comeback against the Utah Jazz, meaning the Nets weren’t the lethal transition offence they had been with the Australian on the floor.

That quickly changed when Simmons entered the game to a chorus of boos, swiftly silencing the Philadelphia crowd as he pushed the ball in transition off a 76ers miss to find Royce O’Neal for the open three-pointer.

Simmons then made it two assists from just as many possessions as he linked with Thomas for another transition three and suddenly the Nets were in total control.

An 8-0 run with Simmons on the floor saw Brooklyn extend its lead to 20-8.

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Ben Simmons made an immediate impact. (Photo by Michael Reaves/Getty Images)

The Nets ended the first quarter on top 38-22 and while the offence was obviously impressive just as pleasing was the four points they restricted Maxey to in the opening period.

By the time Simmons checked back in for the second quarter the Nets had already almost doubled the Sixers’ score, leading 51-28.

Maxey had 12 points in the second and remained Philadelphia’s biggest scoring threat for the remainder of the game, but with limited production elsewhere and the Nets consistently sinking shots the Sixers were little hope of staging a comeback.

Philadelphia pulled its starters early in the fourth and Brooklyn largely did the same, meaning it didn’t need to push Simmons in his return as he remained on the bench.

The Aussie finished with nine boards and five assists from 14 minutes on court, failing to take a shot from the field, and his teammates are just happy to see him back on court.

”When he’s playing, we’re faster, transition points, the pace of play is much higher.” Cam Thomas said.

“He’s pushing the ball and getting us good looks early in the shot clock.

“So it gives us more opportunities for more possessions, stuff like that.

“Obviously he’s still figuring his way back, just his second game back, but Ben is just being Ben and we’re happy that he’s back playing and just want to keep it going.”

Some of Philadelphia’s rarely-used rotation players made a splash late, with Terquavion Smith scoring 17 points off the bench, but Brooklyn had enough of a buffer to hold on.

Originally published as Ben Simmons’ classy act as Brooklyn Nets humiliate 76ers