Getty Anthony Davis with Ben Simmons.
The coronavirus pandemic halted NBA play on March 11 and the league will resume play on July 30 at Walt Disney World in Orlando, Florida.
22 NBA Teams will compete to fill the league’s 16-team NBA playoff spots in both the NBA’s Eastern and Western Conferences and the NBA Finals expected to finish no later than October 13.
The Philadelphia 76ers are currently in sixth place in the NBA’s Eastern Conference.
Philadelphia enters the restart with a 39-26 overall record.
Philadelphia 76ers Without Ben Simmons
Philly last played at home on March 11 against the Detroit Pistons and got the 126-104 win without Ben Simmons who dealt with back issues.
Philly’s starting lineup looked like this:
Tobias Harris
Getty76ers forward Tobias Harris
Tobias Harris scored 15 points while going 4-4 from the free throw line and collecting seven rebounds against the Pistons.
Al Horford
GettyAl Horford signed a ridiculous four-year, $109 million contract last summer to join the Sixers.
Al Horford collected his sixth double-double of the seaso, scoring 20 points and grabbing 10 rebound. He surpassed 7,000 career rebounds vs. Detroit.
Joel Embiid
Photo by Mitchell Leff/Getty ImagesPhiladelphia 76ers center Joel Embiid
Joel Embiid posted a team-high 30 points, shooting 10-12 (.833) from the free-throw line and brought down a game-high 14 rebounds in his return to the lineup against the Pistons.
Josh Richardson
GettyPhiladelphia 76ers guard Josh Richardson.
Josh Richardson dropped eight points and blocked two shots vs. Detroit.
Shake Milton
GettyThe Sixers are turning the point guard job over to Shake Milton until Ben Simmons is ready to return.
Shake Milton increased his streak of scoring 10-plus points to seven straight games after posting 12 points, while also handing out four assists against the Pistons.
Sixers First Scrimmage vs. Memphis Grizzlies
This afternoon, Philly scrimmages against the Memphis Grizzlies.
Memphis star guard, Ja Morant, is a Rookie of the Year candidate and is currently averaging 17.6 points, 3.5 rebounds and 7 assists.
Former Sixer Charles Barkley recently told me that he’ll be disapointed if Morant doesn’t win the NBA’s Rookie of the Year award this season.
“If they screw Ja Morant out of this Rookie of the Year thing, I’m gonna be really pissed,” he said.
“I’m gonna blow a gasket on TNT.”
Ben Simmons won the NBA’s Rookie of the Year award in 2018. A two-time NBA All-Star, this season, Simmons is averaging 16.7 points, 7.8 rebounds, 8.2 assists and 2.1 steals per game for Philly.
Philly made noise two weeks ago when they shifted Ben Simmons from his usual point guard spot to the power forward position. Shake Milton will be starting at that point guard spot for the forseeable future.
Ben Simmons will start today as per Brett Brown.
Sixers starters today vs. Grizzlies per coach Brett Brown:
Shake Milton Josh Richardson Ben Simmons Joel Embiid Tobias Harris
At 6’10, Ben Simmons is a triple double threat; almost Magic Johnson or LeBron James-like.
I discussed it recently on 97.3 ESPN.
Ironically, James and Simmons are built similarly and some may argue that at times during points in his first stint with the Cleveland Cavaliers and even during his tenure with the Miami Heat, James moved off the ball as a primary ball handler and shifted to small forward and power forward duties.
“You can connect your own dots” Philadelphia 76ers head coach, Brett Brown told me.
“His ability to impact the game from a scoring perspective, finding Ben Simmons at an elbow, you can’t sag and elbow”
“He’s a one dribble dunk away from that floor spot” Brown speaking about Ben Simmons working in a screen and roll.
“It opens up a variety of ways he can score.”
“He’s a two time all star, a max player and he’s 24.”