Philadelphia 76ers head coach Doc Rivers stated his crew referred to the drama surrounding Ben Simmons’ absence final season as “litter”. Rivers stated Simmons’ absence didn't harm the crew’s odds of profitable a championship greater than the midseason league-wide COVID-19 outbreak did.
Forward of the Sixers’ matchup at Barclays Middle towards the Nets on Monday — which coincidentally is the primary sport Simmons is taking part in after lacking all the 2021-22 NBA season because of a mixture of psychological well being and decrease again points — Rivers stated the All-Star guard’s absence “didn’t trouble us” as a lot as the skin world thought.
“We performed above it, all of that litter is what we known as it,” Rivers stated. “We have been a sport away from, two video games away from the No. 1 seed. Our guys had an amazing capability to sort of simply focus and play.”
The “litter” Rivers is referring to was the coaching camp saga with Simmons. Simmons stated on Media Day he reported to Sixers coaching camp regardless of having an excellent commerce request as a result of he wished to “do the proper factor.” Rivers in the end threw Simmons out of form for declining to take part in crew drills and Simmons by no means performed one other sport or attended one other Sixers follow. The Nets acquired him on the commerce deadline within the deal for James Harden.
Simmons, on a latest episode of The Previous Man and The Three Podcast with J.J. Redick, instructed Redick he requested Rivers to not play him in any drills as a result of he wasn’t mentally able to take part, however that Rivers put him in on the primary drill anyway. When he declined to take part in additional drills, Rivers reportedly threw him out of form.
And when requested to mirror on his time teaching Simmons, Rivers declined to take action.
“I don’t [reflect] proper now,” he stated forward of tipoff on Monday. “I’m extra targeted on us.”
Simmons additionally agreed with Redick on the podcast episode that Rivers threw him beneath the bus within the postgame interview after Sport 7 of the sequence towards the Hawks. A reporter requested Rivers if Simmons might be the purpose guard of a championship crew.
Rivers responded: “I don’t know the reply to that.”
Which makes it a lot much less coincidental and way more premeditated for the league to have scheduled Nets vs. Sixers as the primary sport for Simmons since he was sporting a Philly uniform.
Simmons’ good friend and Australian teammate Patty Mills stated he doesn’t suppose there’s any dangerous blood between Simmons and his former crew.
“I feel when he’s come right here, it is a nice recent begin for him and having him on the ground,” Mills stated. “What we’re taking a look at right here is extra about ourselves.”
Nets head coach Steve Nash instructed getting a sport towards his former teammates as the primary in 470 days might be good for Simmons.
“Why not? That’s in all probability a query for Ben, however some guys adore it, some guys might care much less,” Nash stated. “I feel we’re all affected otherwise by that. Perhaps it might be a optimistic factor to get one out of the way in which after which simply play.”
The Sixers rested Joel Embiid, who additionally threw Simmons beneath the bus after the second-round playoff exit two seasons in the past, towards the Nets. Additionally they rested Harden, P.J. Tucker and Danuel Home.
Simmons has a month and a half till visiting Philadelphia as an opponent for the primary time on Nov. 22. That’s once we’ll know simply how strained the connection is, presumably towards a completely loaded Sixers crew and the identical followers he as soon as performed for.
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