Ben Simmons shrugs off Celtics fans’ taunts

Ben Simmons has shrugged off taunts from Boston fans and fresh barbs from rival NBA Rookie of the Year candidate Donovan Mitchell.

Philadelphia 76ers guard Ben Simmons in Boston

Ben Simmons has shrugged off taunts from rabid Boston Celtics fans and fresh barbs from rival NBA Rookie of the Year candidate Donovan Mitchell.

Simmons and his Philadelphia 76ers were soundly beaten 117-101 by the Celtics in game one of their Eastern Conference semi-final series on Monday at Boston’s TD Garden. Celtics fans harassed Simmons throughout the game, including chanting “not a rookie” when the Australian was shooting free throws and during other parts of the game.

“I don’t care,” Simmons said. “It doesn’t affect me at all.”

Simmons is favourite to win the Rookie of the Year Award after a record-breaking first year playing in the league, although Mitchell, Celtics fans, former NBA players and US media commentators have questioned whether he should be eligible.

The Melbourne-born 21-year-old was drafted No 1 by the 76ers in 2016 but sat out the entire 2016-17 season with a foot injury.

Celtics chanted “he’s a rookie” when Tatum stepped up for free throws against the 76ers.

Mitchell also tweeted four laughing emojis at the time the TV broadcast of the game captured the chants in Boston.

Tatum played like a Rookie of the Year winner on Monday with 28 points to join the great Larry Bird as the only Celtics rookie over the past half-century to score 25 points or more in a play-off game.

Simmons said the 76ers were “rusty” after the six-day break resulting from quickly defeating the Miami Heat 4-1 in round one and then waiting for the Celtics to eliminate the Milwaukee Bucks in a seven-game series.

“That’s the frustrating part but obviously those few days off was not the best for us,” Simmons said.

Game two is in Boston tomorrow at 10.30am (AEST).

Yesterday LeBron James notched a triple-double and the Cleveland Cavaliers roared back to stun the Raptors 113-112 in overtime in Toronto in game one of their NBA playoff second-round series.

It was a heart-breaker for the Raptors, who had led all night only to see James knot the score at 105-105 with 30.9 seconds left in regulation.

Toronto, the Eastern Conference top seeds for the first time in franchise history, missed their last 11 shots of regulation and Cleveland made them pay, taking the lead for the first time on Kyle Korver’s three-pointer to open overtime.

The Raptors wouldn’t regain the lead. Kyle Lowry converted a three-point play to pull Toronto within 113-112 with 57 seconds remaining. After Cleveland were called for a shot-clock violation, Toronto had a last chance, but Fred VanVleet missed a potential game-winner.

In San Francisco, Stephen Curry scored 28 points in his return from injury as the Golden State Warriors held off the New Orleans Pelicans 121-116 to stretch their lead in their NBA second-round playoff series.

The reigning champion Warriors took a 2-0 lead in the best-of-seven Western Conference second-round series, which shifts to new Orleans for game three on Saturday (AEST).

“It’s good to be back on the floor,” said Curry, who had been sidelined since March 23 with a sprained knee ligament suffered in his return from a right ankle injury. He missed 16 games, but looked more than ready when he entered the game with 4:20 left in the first quarter.

AAP