PHILADELPHIA (KYW Newsradio) — Philadelphia 76ers head coach Doc Rivers has defended and complimented Ben Simmons all season long amid constant criticism of the All-Star's lack of scoring and shooting.
The latest example, on Tuesday, came just two days after Simmons dished out 15 assists and grabbed 15 rebounds, but only scored six points, in the 125-118 victory over the Washington Wizards in the first round of the NBA playoffs.
As a reporter commented Tuesday night that much has been made of Simmons' Game 1 stat line — particularly the point total — Rivers interrupted.
"Only in Philadelphia," the coach said.
"If you guys don't know the treasure you have by now, then shame on everyone."
According to Stathead, Simmons is only the second Sixer — after the late, great Wilt Chamberlain — to put up numbers like 15 assists and 15 rebounds in a postseason game.
Shortly after Sunday's win, Rivers couldn't have been more complimentary of Simmons, calling him "a treasure," as he would again on Tuesday.
Backup Sixers guard George Hill, who has played in the NBA since 2008, said he loves the 24-year-old's game.
"[Ben] shouldn't give two craps about what you guys say, what other people say, what the media say or what other people on the outside looking in say," Hill said. "He has a job here, and he does a great job doing it."
Rivers said he has nothing to say to observers who would rather highlight Simmons' point total. He was 0-for-6 from the foul line on Tuesday. He said Simmons has been fantastic for the Sixers.
Rivers put it simply: "He creates points every single night for us. When Ben was on the floor, we were really good."
When Simmons plays, the team as a whole scores more.
And several weeks ago, when Simmons missed four games because of a non-COVID illness, Rivers was quick to emphasize that the Sixers' offensive rhythm was out of whack without his facilitating and creating shots for others.
"I'm amazed that people don't see what he does," Rivers said Tuesday. "We're so caught up in the amount of points he scored."
Rivers said if Simmons scored all 125 points in Game 1, "would we be mad that Joel [Embiid] didn't score? Like, who cares who scores, as long as we're scoring."
Unless the 76ers go all the way, or Simmons suddenly starts averaging close to 20 points a game this postseason, criticism of what he doesn't do will likely continue. And if the Sixers don't win a championship, despite having Simmons and Embiid on the roster, because Simmons is not a scoring threat to their opponents, then the criticism will probably never go away, whether that's fair or not.