Ben Simmons had by far his worst game of the playoffs on Thursday night, and his lackluster performance is one of the reasons the Philadelphia 76ers have dug themselves into a 0-2 series hole against the Boston Celtics. But even after the rough outing, Brett Brown has not lost confidence in the 21-year-old.
While speaking with reporters after Game 2, Brown was asked why he stuck with Simmons even though the “rookie” couldn’t make a shot and T.J. McConnell appeared to provide a spark off the bench.
"I'm going back with Ben Simmons. He's the Rookie of the Year." Brett Brown on not sticking with T.J. McConnell (+16) down the stretch. #76ers #Celtics
— gary washburn (@GwashburnGlobe) May 4, 2018
Simmons ended up missing all four shots he took, and he also turned the ball over five times. He scored just one point in 31 minutes. The former LSU star averaged 18.2 points per game in the first round against the Miami Heat, and he scored 18 in Game 1 against the Celtics.
You can’t blame Brown for sticking with Simmons given how well he has played all season, but the decision may have been the difference in Philly’s 108-103 loss. As for whether or not Simmons is the Rookie of the Year, one of his opponents seemed to think Thursday night’s performance was a good indicator of who should win the award.
