As the Philadelphia 76ers are preparing for the 2025 NBA Draft, their former No. 1 overall pick Ben Simmons is suited up for the Los Angeles Clippers, competing in the NBA Playoffs.
When Simmons took the floor for last week’s Game 1 battle between the Clippers and the Nuggets, it was his first set of playoff action since the last time he played for the Sixers. The infamous Game 7 between Philadelphia and the Atlanta Hawks was just the start of a shocking regression for Simmons.
Years later, Simmons has embraced a different role. He went from a go-to star to being an off-the-bench contributor. While he’s not putting up the same production as he did with the Sixers when he was a three-time NBA All-Star, Simmons has had a sneaky impact in the playoffs for the Clippers, and NBA fans are giving him credit that’s due.
via @ClippersUK: Ben Simmons impact on this series shouldn’t go unnoticed. It won’t show much in the box score but he’s provided so much value in the non-Zu minutes. He offers the Clippers something completely unique, and has taken the challenge of guarding Jokic brilliantly so far.
@nmzhoops: Doubt he gets much praise but Ben Simmons has made an impact in this series. Salute to him for the winning plays he’s making out there.
@FeelLikeDrew: Ben Simmons saved us. Insane how good he is as a backup center, dude is an A+ rim protector. Just stopped 2 fastbreaks in a row
@nicktharula: Ben Simmons minutes on Jokic leading to a 16-2 run
@_utilitysports: No one is gonna talk about it but Ben Simmons has been very useful in his minutes this series
@FlyByKnite: The biggest adjustment by either side in this series so far has been Tyronn Lue putting in Ben Simmons midway through the first quarter to allow Ivica Zubac to get rest and play against non-Jokic lineups early in the second quarter. Clippers have killed Denver in those stints.
Ty Lue made sure to give Ben Simmons some credit for changing the flow of tonight’s game.
— Farbod Esnaashari (@Farbod_E) April 25, 2025
Heading into the first-round series between the Clippers and the Nuggets, nobody knew what to expect from Simmons. The veteran’s status as Nikola Jokic on the Clippers’ practice scout team was all of the talk out of Los Angeles, as many expected Simmons’ value to go no higher than that.
But the former No. 1 overall pick is making a difference and Clippers fans don’t want his playoff run to go under the radar so far. Simmons has played in just 30 minutes through three games. He attempted just four shots, scoring two points. It could be the first playoff run where Simmons scores fewer than 100 points.
Despite the lack of offensive production, Simmons’ defense has remained strong. According to Cleaning the Glass’s efficiency metric, Simmons is a +18 when he’s on the floor. Only former Sixer Nic Batum is higher, at +23.
On Thursday, the Clippers took a 2-1 series lead after a 117-83 win over the Nuggets. The two teams will meet again on Saturday at LA for Game 4.
