Sixers Suffer Worst Loss Of Year, Thumped By Nets With Ben Simmons Watching

Ben Simmons didn’t play in his return to Philadelphia, but man, he sure seemed to enjoy himself anyway.

Kevin Durant scored 25 points, former 76ers guard Seth Curry added 24 and Kyrie Irving had 22, as the Nets coasted to a 129-100 hammer job of a statement win.

All the while, Simmons sat on the bench in a designer jacket and expensive jewelry, cheering on his teammates as he received multiple jeers on what was dubbed “Boo Ben Night.”

Meanwhile, James Harden and the 76ers suffered their worst loss of the season in perhaps the worst possible game to do so. Harden went just 3-of-17 shooting against his former team, and was generally way out of sorts.

Basically, other than Joel Embiid, the 76ers fell completely flat on a night that featured franchise legends Julius Erving and Allen Iverson in the stands.

“Tonight was good for us, we got our ass kicked,” Harden said, adding that it should serve as a wakeup call, and sometimes, even good teams need those.

Updated #NBA Eastern Conference standings pic.twitter.com/TNy2ZyjRFv

— Keith Pompey (@PompeyOnSixers) March 11, 2022

As for Simmons, most fans let him have it, with one even being tossed late in the game.

“The boos started early, as Simmons was met with catcalls while boarding the team bus to shootaround from the Nets’ downtown hotel,” the Associated Press reported. “Simmons did oblige one fan for an autograph, with another being heard on a video widely circulated on social media yelling, ‘Why the grievance? Why spit in the face of Sixers fans? We did nothing but support you for five years, Ben. You know that.'”

Kevin Durant: "It's hard to chant at Ben Simmons when you're losing by that much."

— Michael Lee (@MrMichaelLee) March 11, 2022

Extra security was added, and Simmons didn’t embrace any of his former teammates, though he did hug a 76ers official prior to the game.

Eventually, though, most of the fans’ ire turned away from Simmons and onto the 76ers, who were incredibly clunky from the start. They looked nothing like the team that has dominated since sending Simmons, Curry and Andre Drummond to the Nets as part of the package for Harden.

James Johnson added 16 points for the Nets, on 6-of-7 shooting. Durant also grabbed 14 rebounds.

Embiid led the Sixers with 27 points and 12 boards, and Tobias Harris scored 16.