Ben Simmons' Philadelphia return was the NBA at its soap-operatic finest
Published: March 10, 2021 US time
Publisher: the Guardian
Article by Brian Graham
Article translated by de Gaulle
Not every NBA game is like the Nets' away game with the 76ers, because this game is so dramatic, so spawned all kinds of online memes and memes, so full of expectations and excitement for fans. The match against both sides was quite one thing, and more importantly, it was Ben Simmons' first return to Philadelphia since he left the 76ers through a trade. Philadelphia fans have been waiting for weeks for this day.
Unsurprisingly, the 76ers' home stadium of 21,408 tickets sold out early. All the 76ers fans want to come to the scene to vent their emotions. It's a mixed emotion, from the frustration of Simmons' refusal to go out of the game over the past nine months, to the joy of Harden after the big deal was completed. However, this mood may have added a new element to the process of the game. After all, the Nets were on the 76ers' turf, leading by as many as 32 points at one point, and eventually left with a 29-point victory.
The beginning of all the stories may start from last season's playoffs. In the Eastern Conference semifinals against the Hawks, the 76ers were eliminated by their opponents, and Simmons' poor performance in that series made him the target of public criticism. Simmons, who also felt hurt inside, didn't want to continue playing for the 76ers. So, there was the same deal a few weeks ago.
Originally, the 76ers had a smooth ride after the trade was completed, but the previous away loss to the Heat, and then the home loss to the Nets, poured cold water on the excited Philadelphia fans. What annoyed the home fans even more was that Simmons did not even play in this game, and the Nets easily won the game. Because Simmons is still in the process of recovering and finding his form of play, he wears a black and yellow LV sweater and sits easily on the sidelines.
Philadelphia is a city that is extremely enthusiastic about sports, and the media has begun to make crazy momentum many days in advance, which renders such an ordinary regular season game a very strong fighting atmosphere. Simmons, who came to Philadelphia with the team, has always been very low-key, hoping to be able to deal with his so-called "return" coldly. But no matter where he appears in Philadelphia, he almost has to face the anger from the fans. Similar videos and photos can be seen everywhere on social media. Philadelphia's local sports radio program even pinned the title of "Philadelphia's most hated player ever" on Simmons' head.
The closer you get to Philadelphia's home wells Fargo Center, the stronger the mood and atmosphere. Many fans who could not buy tickets had already assembled outside the passage of the parking lot an hour before the away bus arrived at the stadium. In the stadium, fans who entered the stadium early will not be idle, and 55 minutes before the start of the game, Simmons wore a sleeveless black T-shirt and stepped into the stadium for warm-up training. And the long boos, even the insults, have begun to drift around. The atmosphere, as if the game had begun, was still a professional fighting game.
After the two starting lineups were introduced, Ben Simmons changed his clothes and walked to the Nets bench to sit down. Not far from his sideline seats, you can see Iverson and Julius Owen, who were once famous 76ers, as well as many entertainment stars. Coupled with a row of highly vigilant security guards behind and on the side of the Nets bench, the size of this game has long been beyond the scope of the regular season.
James Harden, who swapped teams with Simmons, walked early to the Nets' side of the basket before the game began to greet his former teammates, coaches and staff. Simmons, on the other hand, had no intention of greeting his friends at all, which was not surprising. According to a news report this week, Simmons changed his phone number when he was still at 76ers in the first half of the season, and did not tell anyone on the team his new number. This time back to Philadelphia, he only had a simple punch with former head coach Rivers before the start of the second half.
The different emotions in the air made many people forget for a while that the battle between the Nets and the 76ers was about to start on this basketball court. I don't know if the 76ers players are also caught up in this mood, and by the time they come back, the Nets are gone. Durant, Irving and Seth Curry were all brave, rebounding in the 71st minutes the team scored in the first half, and the trio combined to score 49 points. Under such an offensive, the Philadelphia fans who had frequently shouted the slogan "Fxxk Ben Simmons to XX" slowly lost their morale and motivation.
"I think all of us on the team see Ben as my brother," said Durant, who scored 25 points, "and we all knew it was going to be an atmosphere of hostility towards us." However, with so much behind, it is hard for them to be in the mood to shout any more slogans at Ben Simmons. ”
The reason why Durant supported Simmons in this way, in addition to the fact that the two are now teammates, may also be because he had similar feelings back then. In this game, 76ers fans also appeared wearing T-shirts printed with simmons' cupcake motifs on his head. I don't know if such a scene touched Durant. However, judging from Durant's performance on the court, he was not affected by a similar situation at all. "Our team, no matter who sets foot on the pitch today, will focus on the game," Durant said.
For the Nets, a big score to beat the 76ers was a great result. Because before this game, they had lost 17 of the previous 21 games, and the morale of the whole team was low. However, as Durant returned from injury, they also regained the strength and confidence to break the wrist with the Eastern Conference's strong teams, and the battle with the 76ers is undoubtedly a perfect proof.
For Simmons, his body is also steadily recovering. According to media reports, Simmons had the opportunity to officially wear the Nets jersey and appear on the court at the end of this month. Before this visit to Philadelphia, many Nets players cheered for Simmons, because whether he could finally overcome the psychological shadow of the past was entirely up to him. Judging from his first return to Philadelphia, Simmons has taken a solid first step.