Ben Simmons suffers saddest moment before the humiliation of getting benched

Ben Simmons is falling apart in the NBA playoffs after he was repeatedly pulled from the court in embarrassing fashion against Atlanta.

Ben Simmons has been silent.

Aussie Ben Simmons is falling apart in the NBA Playoffs after struggling to do anything in the Sixers’ wild Game 6 win on Saturday.

The 24-year-old had suffered a truly sad first half where he was ice cold, tentative and nonchalant with just two points.

In an elimination game with the Sixers trailing 3-2 in the best-of-seven series, Simmons was

— thankfully — forced from the floor with early foul trouble limiting him to just eight minutes of court time in the first half.

The most damning stat was the Sixers being -15 with him on the floor, trailing 51-47 at half time.

It turned from sad to humiliating in the final quarter when Sixers coach Doc Rivers repeatedly put him back in the game for defensive possessions, but pulled him off in the dying minutes as a liability at the offensive end.

His nightmare couldn’t stop Philadelphia from tying the series 3-3 with a come-from-behind 104-99 victory that sends the series back to Philadelphia for Game 7 on Monday (AEST).

Seth Curry was the unexpected spark for the Sixers with 24 points, including six of nine three-pointers, while Trae Young’s 34 points couldn’t get the Hawks over the line.

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Ben Simmons was nowhere near it.

Simmons was taken out of the game in the fourth quarter after missing two free-throws with the team ahead 86-81 with seven minutes remaining.

He finished with six points from six shots attempted, nine rebounds and five assists.

He played just 25 minutes. Some of it was to save him from foul trouble. Mostly it was down to the fact Rivers couldn’t trust him at the offensive end, especially once the Hawks started deliberately sending him to the foul line with seven minutes left.

He returned to the game with two minutes left but was hauled off every time there was a break in play and the Sixers had the ball.

This was a case of a No. 1 draft pick being told he was only good enough to be on the court for his defence.

I'll give Doc Rivers credit for having the gall to bench Ben Simmons. Not easy telling a $30 million investment to sit.

— Bonta Hill (@BontaHill) June 19, 2021

Ben Simmons is on the bench with 6 minutes remaining in an elimination game. That says all you need to know. Wow.

— Dave Loughran (@Loughy_D) June 19, 2021

The Sixers held on in a thriller even without him failing to show up.

Sixers commentators had been getting stuck into Simmons even before the half time buzzer.

In a half where Philadelphia’s biggest stars all struggled, Simmons was the standout flop. Coach Doc Rivers said at half time his team had played “cr**”.

Ben Simmons is under the microscope again.

Simmons’ woeful start in the team’s biggest game of the season had Philadelphia commentators blowing up and calling for the Aussie to be traded. It came after fingers were pointed at Simmons after Philadelphia’s terrible choke to lose Game 5.

Even Aussie comedian Dave Hughes was calling for Simmons to wake up.

“Ben Simmons has gotta start driving to the rim or he may as well hit the showers,” Hughes posted on Twitter.

“Come on @BenSimmons25. Make this your half! Attack that rim.”

The Philly locals were much more scathing.

Ben Simmons.. Man you gotta go. #ATLvsPHI#bensimmons

— Josh Keyes (@Josh__Keyes) June 19, 2021

At least Ben Simmons is trying to foul out. That will make this game somewhat easier to watch.

— Kenneth P. Vogel (@kenvogel) June 19, 2021

Ben Simmons: Can’t make me shoot free throws if I foul out 🤷🏻‍♂️

— Zack Rosenblatt (@ZackBlatt) June 19, 2021

Embiid and Simmons are playing some horrendous basketball thus far.

— Jon Johnson (@jonjohnsonwip) June 19, 2021

The Sixers had led the series 2-1, but headed into Game 6 in Atlanta needing to win to keep their season alive.

Simmons also struggled in Game 5 as the Sixers blew an 18-point lead at three-quarter time.

Simmons is shooting at 32.8 per cent from the free-throw line this post-season, missing 44 in total.