The clash in Las Vegas on Saturday (Sunday AEST) was the first time that Simmons, the No.1 pick in last month’s National Basketball Association draft, was on an National Basketball Association court with No.2 pick Brandon Ingram, who was selected by the Lakers.
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Now, we shouldn’t be too hard on Maker, who put up 15 points and 13 rebounds in his first Summer League game and 17 and 17 in his second but man, 10 fouls is a lot of fouls to commit in 31 minutes of play. Ingram didn’t waste any time in getting his night going as his first points as a Laker were knocking down a smooth jumper contributing to the hot start to begin the first quarter.
But he’s also got a long way to go to fulfill that promise.
Simmons admitted hitting a bit of a wall, getting exhausted and losing a little offensive focus in the fifth game Tuesday night.
After the game Bulls guard, Denzel Valentine said: “He’s like a mini-Lebron”. Going to high school, we know how tough it was.
When Ben Simmons got the ball in his hands and started to drive, there was a palpable rise in excitement inside the Thomas & Mack Arena Tuesday night. Last year’s single-day attendance record of 12,422 was shattered with a reported 16,208 in attendance on Saturday.
“This crowd is so electric and it definitely makes you nervous; coming out in the beginning of the game I had jitters, so I can’t imagine what (Ingram) had”, Russell said.
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The top pick is making Philly fans feel great. “It gets easier, and I’ll keep preaching to him that it only gets easier and he’ll be fine”. From what I can remember playing preseason games here 15 years ago, it was always like this. His biggest red flag entering the National Basketball Association is his jump shot. Aside from Saric and Christian Wood, who has starred for the Sixers in the summer league but may not make the active roster, most of the Sixers’ bigs lack an offensive game away from the rim. He’s a phenomenal defender. He can also rebound, get out in the open court and take the ball to the basket. “We want him to continue to flourish with the things he already does”.
