Getty Philadelphia 76ers guard Ben Simmons
There’s good news and bad news when it comes to Philadelphia 76ers guard Ben Simmons. The good news is that he once again attempted a jump shot on Saturday night against the Dallas Mavericks. This is now the second consecutive game he’s done so and while he missed the one last game, the most recent attempt dropped in.
Per Drew Corrigan of House of Highlights:
Ben Simmons jumper? YUP
For what it’s worth, we’ve actually seen him make at least one or two other fadeaway jumpers such as this one. Those were from slightly closer to the hoop, though, so this deserves some attention.
Now as far as the bad news goes, it seems Sixers coach Brett Brown has asked Simmons to shoot more jumpers. Not only that but as NBC Sports Philadelphia revealed (h/t Jake Hyman of Liberty Ballers), he wants the reigning Rookie of the Year to advance to 3-pointers.
For what it’s worth, we’ve seen Simmons shoot (and make) shot from beyond the arc quite a bit before, but they’ve come during pregame warmups. Assuming he’s able to make outside shots during in-game situations, it could go a long way towards helping the Sixers offensively.
Ben Simmons Knocks Down 3-Pointers Before Game
This isn’t the first time that the young guard has been spotted taking shots from deep before a game, but it’s one instance. As Eric Walden of The Salt Lake Tribune showed, Simmons knocked down some 3-pointers prior to a road game against the Utah Jazz back in late December.
Sixers’ Ben Simmons takes 3s in shootarounds, at least
The 22-year-old’s ability to knock down outside shots is a part of his game that will likely come over time, but when it happens remains to be seen. Until we do see Simmons start to shoot 3-pointers with any consistency, there won’t be much of an expectation for it to start in the near future.
What Ben Simmons’ 3-Point Range Can Provide Offense
Currently, opposing defenses have the opportunity to crowd Joel Embiid inside or provide additional help on shooters/other scorers such as Jimmy Butler and JJ Redick. If Simmons were able to even knock down shots sporadically, it would force defenses to guard him outside and allow more space for teammates to work.
Obviously, the floor spacing that would be available for Embiid and Butler benefits them from a scoring perspective and even beyond. As for Redick and players who can knock down outside shots at a higher clip, there’s no question it would lead to additional open looks and opportunities.
The good news is that Simmons hasn’t actually needed an outside shot to this point, as he’s averaging 16.3 points, 9.1 rebounds and 7.9 assists through the team’s first 38 games. He’s had a lot of success while building off an impressive rookie season.