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“Continue to boo him until the arena goes dark”: Ben Simmons’ gracious gesture amid the 76ers’ humiliating defeat by the Nets

Ben Simmons visited Philadelphia twice last season and was met with boos both times. The passage of time since his trade to Brooklyn hasn’t stopped 76ers fans from expressing their displeasure towards him.

They continued to boo him loudly every time he had the ball at the Wells Fargo Center on Sunday. Marc Jackson commented that the fans will keep booing him persistently.

Sixers fans welcome Ben Simmons back to Philadelphia 😬 pic.twitter.com/VSWx1e3rT4

— NBC Sports Philadelphia (@NBCSPhilly) February 3, 2024

The boos from the 76ers fans were essentially the only notable sound, which was soon hushed by the dominant performance of the Nets as they easily defeated their Eastern Conference counterparts 136-121. This victory put an end to Brooklyn’s nine-game losing streak against Philadelphia and also marked Simmons’ first win against his former team since the trade.

Although the older faction of the Philadelphia fanbase didn’t give him a warm welcome, the gracious Simmons was seen before the game signing autographs for young Sixers fans.

Ben Simmons signing autographs for young Sixers fans 🙌

(via @BySamDiGiovanni) pic.twitter.com/PpHQqRvr0j

— ClutchPoints (@ClutchPoints) February 3, 2024

The Nets made a deliberate effort to involve Simmons early in Sunday’s game to kickstart their high-paced transition offense. At times, Simmons took the initiative himself, grabbing rebounds and then pushing the ball up the court for fast-break opportunities.

Even in Simmons’ absence from the court, Brooklyn managed to maintain its scoring momentum, with young guard Cam Thomas shining with a remarkable 40-point performance.

It’s worth noting that Brooklyn achieved its two highest assist totals of the season in the last two games with Simmons on the court, dishing out 41 assists against Utah and 35 against Philadelphia.

In total, five Nets players scored in double figures as Brooklyn secured its third win in the last four games.

On the flip side, the 76ers have now lost five of their last six games as they come to terms with playing without Joel Embiid, the reigning MVP, for an extended period.

Tyrese Maxey, who had a standout game with 51 points in Philadelphia’s victory over Utah, managed 23 points in this game, but it was insufficient to challenge the dominant Nets.

Simmons continued to play limited minutes on Sunday, with Nets coach Jacque Vaughn informing reporters before the game that there was no specific timeline for when those restrictions might be lifted.

“Vaughn stated that there will be a gradual increase in Simmons’ playing time before the restrictions are entirely lifted. He emphasized that it will depend on how Simmons responds after each game.

Simmons was limited to just 14 minutes on Sunday, mainly due to the game being a blowout win. He contributed nine rebounds, five assists, one turnover, and four personal fouls but did not take a single shot during the game.

The Australian was sidelined for Brooklyn’s previous game against Phoenix due to knee swelling from a fall after a blocked shot. Vaughn reassured that it was an acute incident that won’t persist, and with proper treatment, he hopes Simmons will continue to progress towards full participation.

The Nets took an early 11-8 lead on Sunday, with Nic Claxton showing activity on the boards by securing all five of Brooklyn’s defensive rebounds in the first four minutes. Both teams struggled from beyond the arc initially, with the Sixers missing all four attempts from downtown and the Nets only making one of six 3-point shots.

Simmons coming off the bench at the start of the game, similar to his return against the Utah Jazz, may have contributed to the slow start in 3-point shooting for the Nets. This arrangement meant Brooklyn didn’t benefit from the same dynamic transition offense they have with Simmons on the court.”

On the contrary, Philadelphia continued to struggle from beyond the arc, remaining 0-for-5, while the Nets held a 32-18 lead as Simmons exited the game.

With just over 90 seconds remaining in the first quarter, Simmons went to the bench after contributing four assists and four rebounds in five minutes of play.

The Nets finished the first quarter ahead 38-22, showcasing not only their impressive offense but also their ability to limit Maxey to just four points in the opening period.

Maxey had recently scored 51 points in a 127-124 victory over the Jazz, prompting Brooklyn to consistently double-team the young guard to pressure the other Philadelphia players to step up. Apart from Kelly Oubre Jr. scoring eight points, the Sixers’ offense was relatively inconsistent in the early stages of the game.

When Simmons returned for the second quarter, the Nets had nearly doubled the Sixers’ score, leading 51-28.

Simmons subbed in for Claxton, who had an impressive start to the game with seven points, 13 rebounds, and two blocks, including a powerful play against Oubre Jr.

While Simmons’ tendency to prioritize passing creates opportunities for his teammates, it can also have drawbacks, as was evident in the late stages of the second quarter.

During a play, Simmons attempted a risky pass that got intercepted by Maxey, revealing a moment where his inclination to pass first rather than drive to the basket could hurt the team.

Despite the Nets building a 25-point lead at one point, the 76ers managed to hit two late 3-pointers to narrow the gap, heading into halftime behind 67-51.

Philadelphia struggled with shooting efficiency, only converting 37.5% of their field goal attempts in the first half, while Brooklyn capitalized by making 12 out of 26 3-point shots, underscoring the disparity between the two teams in the first two quarters.

Maxey stepped up with 12 points in the second quarter and remained the Sixers’ primary scoring threat throughout the game. However, with limited contributions from others and the Nets consistently making shots, Philadelphia faced an uphill battle to mount a comeback.

In the fourth quarter, Philadelphia benched its starters early, and Brooklyn followed suit, not requiring a strenuous effort from Simmons in his return as he stayed on the sidelines.

Despite some late contributions from lesser-used players like Terquavion Smith, who scored 17 points off the bench for Philadelphia, Brooklyn maintained a sufficient lead to secure the victory.