Ben Simmons made his return to Philadelphia last night, and not surprisingly, the reception he got was a hostile one.
Simmons played well despite the booing, recording 11 points, 11 assists, seven rebounds, three blocks and three steals in 32 minutes. The 76ers got the last laugh though, beating Simmons and the Nets 115-106.
After the game, Simmons admitted that he actually anticipated the home crowd giving it to him more than they did.
“I thought it was going be louder,” Simmons said, via SNY Nets.
It wasn’t all negative for Simmons with the fans on Tuesday.
Following his pregame workout, the former No. 1 overall pick chatted with fans and signed autographs.
Lately, Simmons has shown some of the potential that enticed Brooklyn to trade for him midway through last season.
In addition to last night’s near triple-double, he scored 22 points in a win over Memphis on Sunday and dropped 15 points, 13 rebounds and seven assists in a win over Portland last Thursday.
“I feel like I’m in a good place,” Simmons said after last night’s game. “I’m happy, I’m doing what I love. So to be out there and have that experience was amazing. Obviously it wasn’t the result we wanted. It’s frustrating to lose a game like that, but I think it’s a good step forward.”