Philadelphia 76ers head coach Doc Rivers mentioned his staff referred to the drama surrounding Ben Simmons’ absence final season as “clutter”. Rivers mentioned Simmons’ absence didn’t damage the staff’s odds of successful a championship greater than the midseason league-wide COVID-19 outbreak did.
Ahead of the Sixers’ matchup at Barclays Center towards the Nets on Monday — which coincidentally is the primary recreation Simmons is taking part in after lacking the whole 2021-22 NBA season because of a mix of psychological well being and decrease again points — Rivers mentioned the All-Star guard’s absence “didn’t bother us” as a lot as the skin world thought.
“We played above it, all of that clutter is what we called it,” Rivers mentioned. “We were a game away from, two games away from the No. 1 seed. Our guys had a great ability to kind of just focus and play.”
The “clutter” Rivers is referring to was the coaching camp saga with Simmons. Simmons mentioned on Media Day he reported to Sixers coaching camp regardless of having an impressive commerce request as a result of he needed to “do the right thing.” Rivers in the end threw Simmons off form for declining to take part in staff drills and Simmons by no means performed one other recreation 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 Old 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 off form.
And when requested to mirror on his time teaching Simmons, Rivers declined to take action.
“I don’t [reflect] right now,” he mentioned forward of tipoff on Monday. “I’m more focused on us.”
Simmons additionally agreed with Redick on the podcast episode that Rivers threw him below the bus within the postgame interview after Game 7 of the sequence towards the Hawks. A reporter requested Rivers if Simmons could possibly be the purpose guard of a championship staff.
Rivers responded: “I don’t know the answer to that.”
Which makes it a lot much less coincidental and much more premeditated for the league to have scheduled Nets vs. Sixers as the primary recreation for Simmons since he was sporting a Philly uniform.
Simmons’ pal and Australian teammate Patty Mills mentioned he doesn’t suppose there’s any dangerous blood between Simmons and his former staff.
“I think when he’s come here, this is a great fresh start for him and having him on the floor,” Mills mentioned. “What we’re looking at here is more about ourselves.”
Nets head coach Steve Nash prompt getting a recreation towards his former teammates as the primary in 440 days could possibly be good for Simmons.
“Why not? That’s probably a question for Ben, but some guys love it, some guys could care less,” Nash mentioned. “I think we’re all affected differently by that. Maybe it could be a positive thing to get one out of the way and then just play.”
The Sixers rested Joel Embiid, who additionally threw Simmons below the bus after the second-round playoff exit two seasons in the past, towards the Nets. They additionally rested Harden, P.J. Tucker and Danuel House.
Simmons has a month and a half till visiting Philadelphia as an opponent for the primary time on Nov. 22. That’s after we’ll know simply how strained the connection is, presumably towards a completely loaded Sixers staff and the identical followers he as soon as performed for.
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Source: www.bostonherald.com