For years, the 76ers have leaned on talented scorers without ever really having that true bench microwave who can walk into a game and instantly bend a defense. Anfernee Simons may have changed that in one night.
In his first appearance for Philadelphia, Simons gave a clear taste of what he can bring as a nominal sixth man with starting-guard tools. He looked like a player who can take over stretches on his own when the offense needs a jolt, and that alone makes him stand out from the bench options the 76ers have used in recent years.
Quentin Grimes and Kelly Oubre Jr. had served as the team’s main answers for second-unit scoring, and both were useful in their own ways. But Simons brings a different level of shot-making. He is simply the better player, and more importantly, he comes with a fuller offensive package.
His release is lightning quick, which makes him dangerous whether he has the ball in his hands or is working without it. Because of what he did in Portland, where he was the go-to option for a few seasons, Simons is comfortable navigating defenses and getting to shots from all over the floor.
That versatility carries over when he’s not initiating. He can be a useful off-ball weapon, and he has already shown that cold stretches don’t really shake him.
Against the Knicks, he drilled three triples in the third quarter, a stretch that showed how he can find rhythm even when he isn’t controlling the tempo. He plays with his own pace.
That kind of profile gives Nick Nurse more to work with. In the season opener, Nurse had Simons curling off screens, and that made sense because Simons is a movement shooter. The 76ers have not had this blend of independent creation and off-ball value from their primary bench scorer in recent years.
And that matters. Philadelphia already has plenty of scoring talent, but a player like Simons can create the sort of offensive surprise that helps teams pile up regular-season wins and tilt playoff games. Defenses have to react fast, and with Simons, that margin of hesitation can be enough.
In Other News...
Sixers Get A Huge Chance Against A Very Different Bucks Team
Milwaukee looks like a very different opponent than the one Philadelphia has spent years measuring itself against. After trading Giannis Antetokounmpo and Bobby Portis to Miami and folding four former Heat players into the rotation, the Bucks are still figuring out who they are, even as those newcomers have provided more than half of the teams scoring through the first two games.
For the 76ers, that creates a matchup with a little less familiarity but plenty of opportunity. Philadelphia has leaned on strong second halves and a clear edge in paint scoring in recent games, while Milwaukee has been vulnerable on the defensive end, giving the Sixers a chance to test whether their late-game push can travel against a roster still trying to settle in. [Read more 🡒]
Tyrese Maxey Still Looks Like The Player Driving Everything For Philly
Through the first two games of the regular season, Nick Nurse has made it clear where the 76ers want the ball to go. Tyrese Maxey has been the engine of the offense, leading Philadelphia in scoring and shot attempts in both contests while carrying the teams highest usage rate.
Even with the kind of star power that usually reshapes game plans, Nurse has leaned on Maxey as the primary creator and scorer. For Philly, that is the bigger takeaway right now: the offense is still being driven through a player whose role has only grown as the season gets underway. [Read more 🡒]
LeBron's Early 76ers Absence Creates A Bigger Question For Philly
LeBron James will not be on the floor for the 76ers, with the decision tied to a planned workload management call made by the medical staff, front office and his camp. Nick Nurse made clear the absence is not injury-related, which shifts the focus away from health concerns and toward how Philadelphia adjusts against a short-handed opponent in a game that still carries plenty of interest.
For Philly, the bigger issue is less about who is out and more about who has to absorb the extra responsibility. Nurse said other players are expected to step up in James's absence, with Tyrese Maxey and Jaylen Brown among the names who could be asked to carry more of the load, while Tacko Fall, Dominick Barlow and Ariel Hukporti are also unavailable and Dean Wade was questionable before being cleared to play. [Read more 🡒]