Ben Simmons made his return to Philadelphia on Wednesday as the Brooklyn Nets fell to an undermanned 76ers 115-106 (all times AEDT).
It was an eventful return that had a bit of everything — and got people talking.
Simmons, as expected, was met with a hostile response from his old fan base, booing the Aussie when he first touched the ball and every possession thereafter and brutally chanting ‘F*** Ben Simmons’ at times.
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Meanwhile, four-time NBA champion Shaquille O‘Neal, who said he was “proud” of Simmons at halftime for “embracing the challenge” and stepping up, was less supportive at the end of the game.
“It was a lot of booing, but he played well in the first half, I gave him props. I realised he only hit two points (in the second half) and they lost the game,” he said on TNT.
Indeed, as much as Simmons’ return to Philadelphia was a big story, perhaps the bigger story to emerge was that a Sixers side without three starters in Embiid, Harden and Tyrese Maxey, comfortably defeated a full strength Nets side.
“You talk about championship mentality. When you’re a championship team, you’ve got to beat the teams you’re supposed to beat,” O’Neal added.
“They were definitely supposed to beat this team tonight and they didn’t … if Brooklyn keeps playing like this, they have no shot at winning (the championship).”
The Nets, who’ve been marred by drama this season, most notably surrounding Kyrie Irving, have turned around their campaign in recent times under new coach Jacque Vaughn.
Brooklyn went into the game with six wins from its last nine games to push back into the playoff conversation.
So to get blown out by a Philly team that had considerable less talent on the court was telling on where the Nets are at on the whole despite their recent upsurge.
The Sixers won the rebound battle 49-35 including offensive rebounds 20-4. These are effort stats, and it was clear which team brought it, as role players such as De’Anthony Melton, George Niang and Paul Reed shined.
“That team in Brooklyn, they’re soft. It was proven again,” NBA legend Charles Barkley said on TNT.
“This team just has talent, that’s it. It takes a lot more than talent to win.
“You saw all the flaws of the Brooklyn Nets — they’re an awful rebounding team … they have two great offensive players and you’ve got a guy who we don’t know what he’s going to bring in night in, night out and they don’t play defence.”
