76ers' Ben Simmons sends out ominous warning: 'It's going to be tough to stop me'

James McKern

76ers' Ben Simmons sends out ominous warning: 'It's going to be tough to stop me' image

Ben Simmons' season came to an end when his Philadelphia 76ers fell to the Boston Celtics in the second round of the 2018 NBA playoffs, but the young Aussie is already looking ahead.

Throughout the entirety of his rookie campaign, Simmons was continually plagued by a lack of an outside jump shot.

Boston exploited this with their defensive structures and forced Simmons away from the rim which lead to him struggling throughout the series.

As the 76ers get set for their offseason however, Simmons is preparing to take his game to the next level and come back bigger and better than ever.

"I've got to work all offseason (to become a better player)," Simmons said during his exit interview. 

“Overall, I had a solid year, ups and downs like everything. I think I learned a lot. There’s a lot of room for improvement.

“I think offensively it’s going to be tough to stop me (with a jump shot). I think it’s going to be scary.”

His ability to get to and attack the rim is second to none, but if he can add a respectable jump shot he'll be near on unstoppable.

Simmons' eagerness to continually expand and grow his game should send shivers down the spines of every team in the NBA.

Along with Joel Embiid, Dario Saric and Markelle Fultz, the 76ers' young core has a chance to rule the league for years to come.

Following their playoff exit, Simmons saw plenty of positives and knows they've set themselves up for the future. 

“We stayed together as a team, no one ran away from running certain plays and sets and we believed in each other. I think that was one of the most important things.

“We know what to expecting coming into the playoffs now so I think it's going to be a lot easier to come in and get games done." 

 

James McKern