After a fairly quick, albeit dramatic, dismantling of the Brooklyn Nets in the first round—a series that saw Ben Simmons emerge from media-generated pressure ahead of Game 3 unfazed and unstoppable—the Sixers’ sophomore point guard appears primed for another crack at the Eastern Conference Semifinals. Simmons was frustratingly quiet in Game 1 against Brooklyn, but made up for it in the final four games, averaging 19.3 points on 68 percent shooting, 6.8 rebounds, and 8.8 assists in that span.
While efficient, stat-stuffing performances have come to define the better half of the Ben Simmons experience, his struggles with ball security make up a sizable portion of the other half.