On Saturday night, Philadelphia 76ers star Ben Simmons played more like a veteran bound for the Hall of Fame than a rookie in almost single-handedly extinguishing the Miami Heat to help his team to a Game 4 win and 3-1 lead in their first round playoff series.
By scoring 17 points, 13 rebounds and 10 assists in the victory, Simmons became the third-youngest player in modern NBA history to register a playoff triple double, behind only Magic Johnson and LeBron James.
And he did so under the most hostile of conditions — a chippy away game.
“The back-breaking highlight came with a minute left and Philly clinging to a one-point lead,” wrote Sports Illustrated‘s Ben Golliver. Simmons used a high screen to attack the paint going right, picking up speed as the defense failed to rotate to block his path. Four Heat players closed on him, but it was too late. Simmons, who had played the entire fourth quarter without a rest, soared above them all for a two-handed slam.”
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