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US View: Ben Simmons’ flaws make his start to NBA career even more astonishing

US VIEW: EVEN with the hype that surrounded his rise to the NBA, Ben Simmons is somehow managing to surpass expectations. And one ‘scary’ fact has US pundits seriously excited.

Staff writers
4 min read
October 24, 2017 - 5:05PM
Ben Simmons has surpassed expectations so far in the NBA.
Ben Simmons has surpassed expectations so far in the NBA.

EVEN with the hype that surrounded his rise to the NBA, Ben Simmons is still somehow managing to surpass expectations.

The Australian rookie notched his first triple-double on Tuesday (AEDT), just four games into his NBA career, as Philadelphia scored their first win of the season away to Detroit.

It continued a stunning start to NBA life that, statistically, stacks up against some of the game’s greatest ever players.

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Simmons is only the fifth player ever — and first since Shaquille O’Neal — to begin his career with four straight double-doubles, having already joined Hall of Famer Oscar Robertson as the only other man to begin with three or more games of 10+ points, 10+ rebounds and 5+ assists.

Simmons’ outrageous numbers speak for themselves but it’s the manner of the Australians’ performances that is catching the eye of US pundits — not just for Simmons’ strengths but his weaknesses.

Michael D Sykes, writing for SB Nation, said it was incredible that Simmons was able to rack up such numbers given the fact he clearly still has several flaws to address, as all rookies do.

“It it’s not just the fact that he did it (triple-double vs Detroit) — it’s how he did it,” Sykes wrote.

“He doesn’t need a jumper to be great because he can get to the rim at will. He doesn’t need screens to see the floor because he’s so tall he sees everything anyway.

“He dished out every pass in the book to get 10 assists. Behind the back, across the floor, through the paint. You name it, Simmons did it

“Simmons looks special. Very few players can do what he’s doing on the floor and he’s a rookie. There are multi-year veteran players who struggle to make the passes he makes.

“He’s still got a lot of room to grow — he’s just 21 years old. But as he continues to grow, he’ll only get better. And that’s a scary thought for the rest of the NBA.”

Bill Difilippo, writing for UPROXX, agreed.

“The scariest part may be that Simmons is not a finished product yet — he still hasn’t shown that he can consistently hit jump shots, and he’s 0-for-2 from three through four games — so he could conceivably get better,” he wrote.

“But if not, Simmons has shown that he’s pretty close to unguardable, can get wherever he wants on the floor, easily throw passes most people can’t even think of attempting, and clean up on the glass. If that’s his ceiling, then you probably won’t find any Sixers fans who will be too upset.”

Joseph Zucker, writing for Bleacher Report, said Simmons had already emerged as a dominant favourite for rookie of the year.

“After Monday night, Simmons is averaging 17.0 points, 10.8 rebounds and 7.0 assists per game. Even diehard Sixers fans likely didn’t expect him to make this kind of impact already. Simmons hasn’t missed a beat after he sat out all of last season with a right foot injury.

“Simmons still has some flaws to iron out in his game. He has misfired on both of his three-point attempts, and he’s shooting 61.5 per cent from the charity stripe after hitting five of his six free throws Monday night.

“While he’s unlikely to ever be a consistent shooter from the perimeter, Simmons’ three-point game should improve the longer he’s in the NBA. Far more important is the fact he’s displaying the defensive versatility and playmaking skills he showcased in college.”

Colin Ward-Henninger, writing for CBS Sports, noted that Simmons playing mostly as a true point guard allowed him to “put his full, versatile arsenal of weapons on display”.

ESPN’s Zach Lowe said it was some of the subtleties of Simmons’ game that were most impressive, while colleague Bobby Marks said he was already playing beyond his years.

LEBRON LINK GROWS

Simmons has drawn comparisons to a young LeBron James for some time, with Washington’s John Wall throwing fresh fuel on the fire after the Wizards beat Philadelphia last week.

“He’s one of those guys that, like a LeBron - gets the ball off the rim, he’s pushing it and finding his teammates, he can finish at the rim,” Wall said.

Simmons’ early performances are only strengthening the link while many were keen to point out that the Aussie had achieved his first triple-double more than a full season faster than James managed.

A NEW PHILLY HERO

Fellow players began to sing Simmons’ praises shortly after his performance.

Meanwhile, Simmons played his part in taking the city of Philadelphia’s sporting excitement to new levels.

His performance came at the same time young NFL quarterback Carson Wentz turned in a brilliant performance for the Philadelphia Eagles 6-1)

Originally published as US View: Ben Simmons’ flaws make his start to NBA career even more astonishing

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Original URL: https://www.heraldsun.com.au/sport/more-sports/us-view-ben-simmons-flaws-make-his-start-to-nba-career-even-more-astonishing/news-story/75f7ad96be6c5cab8ce423e1f7297d33