Ben Simmons had 11 points, 11 assists and seven rebounds to the tune of steady boos. Kyrie Irving scored 23 points and Kevin Durant had 20 before coach Jacque Vaughn pulled his starting lineup with 3 minutes left in the game.
Tobias Harris scored 24 points and a spirited Philadelphia 76ers team playing without Joel Embiid and James Harden spoiled Ben Simmons' homecoming with a 115-106 win over the Brooklyn Nets on Tuesday night.
The expected marquee matchup was dimmed with Embiid out with a sprained left foot, Harden still out with a tendon strain in his right foot and starting guard Tyrese Maxey also out with a broken left foot.Simmons was heckled, drew a flagrant foul, shushed the crowd on a layup, and even Jordan-shrugged after hitting free throws. Of most importance for a player who has battled mental health issues, Simmons played with poise as boos rained on him for the bulk of his 32 minutes.
Sixers fans were mostly well-behaved - save for a couple of short-lived " Ben Simmons!" chants - and mostly saved the four-letter words for tape on the back of their old No. 25 jerseys. Simmons averaged 15.9 points, 8.1 rebounds and 7.7 assists over four seasons with Philadelphia, which drafted him out of LSU, where he played only one season. His omnipresent headaches, such as his refusal to shoot beyond 15 feet, outweighed his otherwise gifted defensive and playmaking talents. Simmons' relationship with the Sixers deteriorated following the 2021 playoffs and he demanded a trade.
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