Ben Simmons, Joe Ingles in form ahead of NBA playoffs

Ben Simmons and Joe Ingles have delivered ominous warnings to rivals ahead of the NBA playoffs.

Ben Simmons shoots against the Dallas Mavericks. Picture: AP.

Ben Simmons and Joe Ingles have delivered ominous warnings to rivals ahead of the NBA playoffs.

Simmons continued to make NBA history with personal achievements while leading the Philadelphia 76ers to a franchise record-tying 14-game win streak after a 109-97 victory over the Dallas Mavericks.

The win guaranteed the former ugly duckling 76ers home court advantage in next weekend’s first round of the post-season.

Simmons, the Melbourne-born 21-year-old, who became the first player in NBA history to average a triple-double over a 10-plus game win streak, warned the Sixers are yet to peak — with injured All-Star centre Joel Embiid still to return to the team.

“We’re getting a lot better,” Simmons said after the home win over the Mavericks “We are still missing Joel and once he gets back I think it’s all going to come together.”

Simmons, the favourite to win the NBA’s Rookie of the Year Award, has been on a history-making run averaging 14.7 points, 10.1 rebounds and 10.9 assists during the winning streak.

No other player in the history of the NBA has averaged a triple-double over 10-plus consecutive wins.

Simmons had 16 points, seven rebounds and nine assists against the Mavericks. The 76ers have soared to the third in the Eastern Conference and, if the standings remain, will play the Miami Heat in the first round of the playoffs. The latest win gave the 76ers their 50th victory of the season, a marked difference to their 28-54 record last season and the deplorable 10-72 record in season 2015-16.

It is their first 50-win season since Allen Iverson’s 2000-01 team, which lost in the finals.

“For me it’s huge and for the team it’s definitely huge,” Simmons said of the 50 wins.

Ingles and his Utah Jazz have been impressive in the Western Conference. Ingles continued his lethal shooting form with 22 points, connecting with nine of his 12 field goal attempts, in the Jazz’s 112-97 away demolition of the Los Angeles Lakers.

The Boomers forward had 10 assists, four rebounds and a thunderous dunk, which had his teammates jumping off the bench in jubilation.

The Jazz’s other Aussie, Dante Exum, added six points, five assists and three rebounds.

Elsewhere, C.J. Miles scored 22 points to lead the east’s No 1-seeded Toronto Raptors to a 112-101 win over Orlando Magic and extend their franchise records for wins (58) and home wins (34). A fourth-quarter blitz from the Atlanta Hawks stunned the Boston Celtics, who are second in the east, 112-106.

AAP