Can Ben Simmons Win the 76ers a Championship Without Shooting?
There has been a lot of talk on whether Ben Simmons is a championship-caliber player.
Although he is dominant down low and is having a pretty good season, it is questionable whether he will be able to survive the postseason.
So far this season, Ben is just averaging under 17 points per game while playing an average of 36 minutes per game. Although his scoring average is fairly low, it is still very efficient when you take a look at his other stats. Ben is averaging almost 8 rebounds per game and 8 assists a game.
Ben is a very unique player and this is why…
He is the second-most efficient player on the 76ers currently, but all people want to look at is his scoring ability. Averaging 8 assists per game means he’s responsible for at least 16 more points. This is assuming he isn’t finding the open man from deep. His rebounding ability decreases opponent scoring as well as opens up opportunities to score in transition, which Ben excels at.
That being said: Can the 76ers win with this type of player?
Being one of the most unique players in the league, there are positives and negatives of having Ben Simmons as the 76ers starting point guard.
The point guard, for the most part, should be the most efficient scorer.
As much as Ben’s unique skill can be great for this team, it is hard to excel without other shooters. Ben is a two-dimensional player who can get it done on both sides of the court. Along with his obvious stats, Ben is a monster on defense. He is averaging 2.1 steals per game, which usually ends up resulting in transition points. The positive of having a dominant player like Ben is that the 76ers have a floor general who can see things other players can’t. He finds guys you wouldn’t expect him to and gets the ball in their hands almost every time. This would be really beneficial to this team if they had shooters.
The negative of having Ben’s unique set of skills is that there is no one to compliment him. At the beginning of the season, it was looking like he would be able to control the floor while finding Tobias Harris and Josh Richardson for the shot. Unfortunately, the team’s spacing has stalled the game plan.
With Ben refusing to shoot and Joel Embiid going virtually anywhere on the floor, it is tough to get wide-open shots. If the Sixers could add a few efficient 3-point shooters, this team could immediately be what everyone thought they would be.
Right now, this team is underperforming greatly and must make changes before the postseason. It is clear what the team needs to be successful this season and that is a few trustworthy shooters that can open the floor and hit shots when needed.
Ben Simmons can definitely win a championship one day. He just needs players around him that will fit his playstyle.
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Categorized:Sixers