Sixers are a problem. Starting five remains one of the league's best lineup. That was just a good, solid win. Nothing nutty about it. Just a good team going on the road and doing business.
BEN Simmons displayed more of his superhuman qualities while toying with a triple double as Philadelphia defeated Cleveland 108-97 on Friday.
But the Aussie rookie sensation isn’t quite as gifted as NBA great turned commentator Chris Webber described him.
As Simmons showed off his arsenal of right and left-handed finishes during a 10-point third quarter scoring outburst, Webber openly wondered: “Is this guy left-handed, right-handed? Is he amphibious?” Ambidextrous, perhaps?
The 76ers had an opportunity to give LeBron James a close-up look at what they’re building on their visit to Quicken Loans Arena.
Philly fans are dreaming of the NBA’s best player teaming up with Simmons and Joel Embiid when he enters free agency at the end of the season.
James showed them what they could expect to enjoy on an almost-nightly basis with a piece of pure basketball wizardry in the first quarter.
The Cavs star split an Embiid-Robert Covington double team by dribbling the ball around his back and through the legs of teammate Tristan Thompson — before capping the move with a strong finish at the rim.
15 years into his career and LeBron is still doing things on a nightly basis that you’ve never seen before — Jordan Zirm (@clevezirm) March 2, 2018
The three-time NBA champion finished with 30 points, eight assists and nine rebounds but largely played a lone hand as the 76ers led from start to finish.
All five Philly starters finished in double figures as Simmons (18 points, eight assists, nine rebounds), Joel Embiid (17 points, six assists, 14 rebounds) and JJ Redick (22 points) ensured they responded to consecutive defeats against Washington and Miami.
Sharpshooters Covington and Redick gave the 76ers an early advantage as they both hit a pair of three-pointers in a 32-29 first quarter.
The Cavaliers kept it close while James sat early in the second as Simmons coughed a couple of turnovers. Philadelphia led 42-38 when James re-entered the game midway through the quarter.
The 76ers pushed their advantage out to double digits before a James-led 7-0 run saw Cleveland close to 59-56 at the half.
Philly put Simmons in the post to start the third and he overpowered Cedi Osman to score six straight points.
Simmons also stripped James on one play to cap a 10-point third quarter scoring outburst in a 77-71 lead.
Both sides continued to struggle on offence early in the fourth before Simmons stole a pass intended for James and led a fast break that was finished by new signing Ersan Ilyasova to create an 84-71 lead.
But the Cavs came storming back. Kyle Korver capped a 12-3 Cleveland run with a long three to pull the defending Eastern Conference champions within four points halfway through the final term.
But the 76ers responded to close out a 10-point win. There was a moment of minor drama in the final seconds as Dario Saric went against unspoken NBA rules and scored after the shot clock had been shut off. Jordan Clarkson threw the ball at Saric’s turned back and was ejected.
It came after the LeBron-to-Philly speculation went into overdrive ahead of the game.
Just days after three billboards, paid for by a Pennsylvania company, popped up in Ohio urging James to sign with the 76ers this summer as a free agent, the three-time NBA champion reportedly was spotted in the Philadelphia area over the All-Star break touring area high schools.
Sixers TV game analyst Alaa Abdelnaby said he was told that James, who has three kids, looked at private schools in Philadelphia last month.
“I’ve told this to a few other people, and I have no problem saying this,” Abdelnaby said on Philly Sports Talk. “My brother lives in the Philadelphia area and he told me that LeBron, last week through a superintendent, was in the area checking out some private schools during the All-Star break.”
At the shootaround before the Cavs hosted the Sixers, James was asked if he was in Philadelphia.
“Pennsylvania? Nah,” he said. “What are you talking about? Over the All-Star break, I was on vacation and then went to Los Angeles.”
According to Cleveland.com, “James actually hadn’t heard the rumour about checking out Philly schools for his kids and asked a reporter after his media session this morning (why it was brought up). ‘That’s disgusting,’ he said.”
Some people were even willing to read into the colour of his sneakers against the 76ers.
Let the rumors begin... pic.twitter.com/HUC0polK9K — Bleacher Report (@BleacherReport) March 2, 2018
— with New York Post
