Ben Simmons showed Wednesday night that he is NBA-ready. The Philadelphia 76ers rookie had a stellar performance in a 120-115 loss to the Washington Wizards. Simmons was so comfortable on the court that he compared his debut to a video game.
"It felt like I was playing 2K, honestly," Simmons commented after the defeat, ESPN reported. At the same time, it was surreal for the rising prospect of the 76ers, who missed the entirety of the previous season due to foot injuries.
In Simmons' first regular season game, he proved that Philadelphia is doing the right thing of trusting the process.
The former LSU standout provided a double-double performance for the 76ers with 18 points and 10 rebounds. He also registered five assists, two steals, and one block. Simmons is expected to continue stuffing the stat sheet. With his size and athleticism, it will be difficult for opposing teams to stop the 21-year-old, especially with him playing at the point guard position.
Youngsters step up
Ben Simmons was not the only young talent that stood out in the Philadelphia 76ers' defeat to the Washington Wizards. Robert Covington, Joel Embiid, and Markelle Fultz also emerged for the Sixers.
Covington led all scorers for Philadelphia with 29 points. He added seven rebounds, one assist, one steal, and two rejections.
Similar to Simmons, Embiid finished with a double-double as he tallied 18 points and 13 rebounds. Fultz, who the 76ers selected with the No. 1 pick in June's draft, was an offensive spark off the bench with 10 points in just 18 minutes on the floor.
Philadelphia's youngsters received help from veteran backcourt players Jerryd Bayless and J.J.
Redick, who were both starters in the game. Bayless contributed 13 points, while Redick had 12. The seasoned guards of the 76ers combined for five rebounds and sevens assists as well.
Up next
The schedule does not get easier for Ben Simmons and the Philadelphia 76ers. After falling to the Washington Wizards last night, the 76ers will host the Boston Celtics tomorrow.
The Celtics are searching for their first victory after losing to the Cleveland Cavaliers and the Milwaukee Bucks.
Following one home game, the 76ers are going to leave Philadelphia for a two-game road trip. On October 21, they are heading to the Air Canada Centre to take on the Toronto Raptors. Two days later, the 76ers will be in the Motor City for a matchup with the Detroit Pistons.
