NBA: Ben Simmons fights back as 76ers dodge Celtics sweep

Ben Simmons fought back against Boston after Philadelphia had started to turn on the Australian 76ers star.

Philadelphia 76ers' Ben Simmons goes up for a shot against the Boston Celtics in Philadelphia yesterday

Icarus yawned through his old man’s life message about the dangers of pride and overconfidence, joined him on their journey out of Crete with their wings of feathers and wax, probably had some vague recollection of the reminder to stay away from the sun lest it ruin the team, succumbed to the sort of hubris that has impacted on another great character in Greek mythology, Nick Kyrgios, and came a cropper. He wasn’t as good as he thought.

According to the Philadelphia Inquirer, Icarus has returned for the 76ers under the pseudonym of Ben Simmons. The local rag recently suggested that Simmons had lost contact with reality, foolishly started to believe he could fly too high, became complacent entering the playoffs against the Boston Celtics and completely over-estimated his level of competence, accomplishment and capability.

Yesterday Simmons responded with 19 points, 13 rebounds and five assists as the 76ers won a torrid, sledge-filled 103-92 victory to peg the deficit to 1-3 in the Eastern Conference semi-finals. No side in NBA history has recovered from 0-3 in the post-season, and game five is tomorrow morning (AEST) at The Garden in Boston.

Simmons’ teammate Joel Embiid trash-talked the Celtics with, “We’re in your head! We’re in your head!” Icarus is still flying a little too close to elimination to be comfortable but he’s lived to flap his wings for another day. He was urgent with the ball instead of loping around in slow motion. He looked desperate and ready for work. He hung from the rim after a couple of dunks to ram home the points he was making. He flexed. He no longer appeared too cool for school. Icarus was foolish enough to fly straight towards what would kill him; Simmons might have corrected his path in the nick of time.

“Bringing energy,” Simmons said. “We know this is the final opportunity to get back into it. Everyone is aware of that. The energy that TJ (McConnell brought) was huge for us. He really stepped up and everybody fed off that energy and took care of business. Nobody was lacking. Everybody was picking each other up and we were playing together.”

Attending his post-match press conference with a boxing kangaroo hanging from enough bling around his neck to blow out the federal budget, Simmons said: “We’ve got to have the same mindset going to Boston. We know it’s going to be a physical game. We know what to expect with their players. We’ve just got to go there, focus, lock in, manhandle business.

“We’ve played this team multiple times. We know what we’re getting from them — but I’m not ready to go home. I’m not ready to start my vacation. Definitely not. I texted Joe (Embiid) before the game and we spoke about it — we want to be here. We believe our time is now. It’s going to take a lot but that’s our mindset right now. We know we’re the leaders of this team. The bling — that’s just something to represent home.”

Simmons’s father Dave has flown with him from the Newcastle juniors to the NBA. 76ers coach Brett Brown, a long-time family friend, is in his ear nowadays.

“The Celtics have guarded Ben really well,” Brown said. “I give them credit. For me, I always go back and think, ‘How do I help him? How do I help my stars be stars?’ That’s what we need. That’s my job.

“In my head and my heart I know it, and so I hope to do it and help him. Get him jumping into this series and finding a way to win and not end our season.”

The winner of the 76ers-Celtics series will face the Cleveland Cavaliers in the Eastern Conference finals. Houston’s two-time NBA champion Kenny Smith said during yesterday’s ESPN coverage that a loss would be the best long-term result for Simmons and Embiid.

“If they won, they would think they’re better than they are,” he said. “Their holes have been exposed. Their summer has been changed. They were going on yachts and mansions. Now they’re going to the gym.”

The 76ers’ legendary former player Charles Barkley agreed, saying: “This has been an eye-opening experience for Ben. He’s a hell of a player — but he can’t shoot a lick.”