Ben Simmons stars again as 76ers prove too strong for Charlotte

BEN Simmons has once again left with a stack of accolades after leading the 76ers to a win that improves their playoff prospects.

There’s no stopping Ben Simmons.

WHEN Ben Simmons got his 10th board with just over a minute remaining in Philadelphia’s win over Charlotte it represented triple double number nine in his rookie season — and his third in his past four games.

The Aussie superstar racked up 11 points, 15 assists and 12 rebounds in 33 minutes on the court as he led the 76ers to a 108-94 victory against the Hornets on Tuesday (AEDT). He also had three steals and — perhaps most impressively — zero turnovers.

Per Adam Fromal of NBA Math, Simmons is just the third player to have zero turnovers in a triple double game in their rookie season.

Since 1963, triple-doubles by rookies with 0 turnovers:

1. David Robinson: 27 points (17 FGA), 15 rebounds, 3 assists, 2 steals, 11 blocks
2. Andre Iguodala: 10 points (8 FGA), 10 rebounds, 10 assists, 4 steals
3. Ben Simmons: 11 points (9 FGA), 12 rebounds, 15 assists, 3 steals pic.twitter.com/gh7T5wPCoS

— Adam Fromal (@fromal09) March 20, 2018

Simmons’ ninth triple double is the most by any Philadelphia player in a season since Wilt Chamberlain recorded 31 in 1967-68 and helped the Sixers to their third win on the bounce. It was also the 19th time the 21-year-old has racked up 10 assists or more — passing Allen Iverson for most 10-plus assist games by a 76ers rookie.

There were a host of other stats Simmons added to his resume on a night where a strong fourth quarter ensured Philly would leave with the chocolates.

.@sixers G-F @BenSimmons25 has his fourth straight point-assist double-double. That's the longest streak by an @NBA rookie since @Darren_Collison did so in four straight from Mar. 12-17, 2010.

h/t @bball_ref

— Sixers Stats (@SixersStats) March 20, 2018

.@sixers G-F @BenSimmons25 is the first @NBA rookie to post three straight games with at least 12 assists since @JohnWall did so from Jan. 17-21, 2011.

h/t @bball_ref

— Sixers Stats (@SixersStats) March 20, 2018

Most triple doubles, first 68 career games
9 … Ben Simmons
5 … Alvan Adams
5 … Magic Johnson
3 … Michael Jordan
3 … Lamar Odom
3 … David Robinson
3 … Bill Walton
2 … Lonzo Ball, Michael Carter-Williams, Walt Frazier, Tim Hardaway, Jamaal Tinsley, Art Williams@bball_ref

— Reuben Frank (@RoobNBCS) March 20, 2018

But it was all about the team.

“I think people get caught up in how many points I score every game,” Simmons said. “It’s not about that. It’s that amount of points that we’re getting as a team.

“People are always go say I need to do certain things, but I know what I’m capable of, and I know what I’m really good at.”

Simmons’ partner in crime Joel Embiid had a night to remember as his feats matched — if not bettered — those of the young Australian. He stuffed the stat sheet with 25 points and 19 rebounds.

Embiid was 10 from 17 from the field and four from six from three-point range.

Simmons shot four from nine from the field and didn’t have an attempt from outside the arc. Robert Covington was also impressive, scoring 18 points.

The win keeps alive the Sixers’ shot at finishing fourth in the Eastern Conference and earning home-court advantage in the first round of the playoffs. Adding to that, the 76ers also have one of the easiest schedules of any team the rest of the season.

They would have to pass Washington and Indiana to grab the No. 4 seed and stave off a potential Toronto or Boston match-up for at least a round.

“Our goal is to make the playoffs,” coach Brett Brown said. “Now, seemingly, we are pretty close to doing that. Now we all get greedy and say, ‘Let’s get a home court.’ And I’m the captain of that new club. And it can only happen if we guard. And that’s the message to our team.”

Simmons and Co. can drive Philadelphia to the playoffs.

The Hornets missed 17 of 21 shots in the third quarter to crush their chances of stretching a seven point halftime lead.

“Nothing matters unless we play defence,” Brown said. “It’s how we set the tone in this program since the day I arrived.”

Embiid hit two straight three-pointers and JJ Redick hit one to give the Sixers a 58-56 lead in the third. Marco Belinelli hit consecutive threes late in the third to make it 72-64. He hit one more three for a 10-point lead.

Embiid hit one more three at the top of the arc to close the quarter. Dario Saric hit a three in the fourth for an 88-83 lead and Covington sealed it with Philadelphia’s 16th three of the game for a 12-point edge late in the fourth.

Kemba Walker led the Hornets, coming off a 124-101 loss to the Knicks, with 24 points. Wily Hernangomez scored 17 points off the bench in just 12 minutes in the first half to help the Hornets lead 56-49 at the break.

— with AP

Originally published as Ben Simmons stars again as 76ers prove too strong for Charlotte