Simmons’ Triple-Double Not Enough as Hornets Fall to 76ers

November 2, 2016

76ers 96, Hornets 87 (Wells Fargo Center – Philadelphia, PA)

It was a night filled with emotion as Ben Simmons and Jerami Grant returned to Philadelphia for the first time since their blockbuster trade to Charlotte.

The former Process stars were now the faces of the Hornets, while Kemba Walker, the player they were traded for, was now leading the Sixers. The game had been circled on both teams’ calendars since the trade was finalized.

But when the dust settled, Kemba and the Sixers got the last laugh.

Simmons Puts Up Big Numbers—But Struggles

Ben Simmons continued his torrid start to the season with another triple-double, finishing with:

• 31 points (15-40 FG, 1-5 FT)

• 11 rebounds

• 10 assists

• 3 blocks

• 6 turnovers

• Fouled out in the 4th quarter

Simmons showed flashes of brilliance, pushing the tempo, controlling the glass, and stuffing the stat sheet, but his inefficiency and foul trouble ultimately cost Charlotte in the end.

“I just have to be better,” Simmons said postgame. “I missed too many shots, turned the ball over too much, and let my team down when they needed me the most. That’s on me.”

The Sixers packed the paint, daring Simmons to beat them with jumpers. He took the challenge—but at 15-for-40 shooting, the results weren’t pretty.

Kemba Walker’s Revenge Game

On the other side, Kemba Walker played like a man on a mission, torching his former team for 34 points, hitting clutch shots down the stretch, and controlling the game when it mattered most.

The Spectrum Center faithful gave him a standing ovation during introductions, but on the court, there was no love lost.

“He’s a killer, man,” Simmons admitted. “I played with him for a bit in training camp before the trade, and I saw it up close. Tonight, he reminded me.”

Cody Zeller Shines Off the Bench

While the Hornets struggled offensively, Cody Zeller was a bright spot, grabbing 10 rebounds and bringing much-needed energy off the bench.

“That’s the kind of effort we need every night,” head coach Steve Clifford said. “Cody gave us second chances and played hard. We just couldn’t convert on those opportunities.”

Joel Embiid Held in Check, But Sixers Still Control the Game

Joel Embiid finished with just 8 points and 10 boards, as Charlotte swarmed him defensively. But with Kemba Walker carrying the offense, the Sixers didn’t need a big night from their big man.

“We made it tough on Joel,” Jerami Grant said. “We did our job there. But when you let Kemba cook like that, it doesn’t matter.”

The Fourth Quarter Collapse

Despite Simmons’ triple-double, Charlotte had no offensive rhythm in the fourth quarter.

Simmons fouled out with six minutes left, forcing the Hornets to rely on Jeremy Lamb and Marvin Williams to create offense—which didn’t go well.

With Simmons gone, Kemba sealed the game, scoring 9 of his 34 points in the final five minutes, drilling a step-back three over Grant that all but ended Charlotte’s chances.

“They brought me here to be that guy in the fourth,” Grant said. “Tonight, I wasn’t. Kemba was. Simple as that.”

The Aftermath

With the loss, Charlotte dropped to 3-1 on the season, while the Sixers picked up their second win.

Simmons had the numbers, but Kemba got the win—and that was all that mattered.

The Hornets left Philadelphia knowing one thing: they still had a long way to go.