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[Saba Sports News] Ben Simmons added another entry to his lowlight reel on Friday with a missed layup that fans are already calling one of the worst ever.
During the Brooklyn Nets’ matchup against the Philadelphia 76ers at Wells Fargo Center, the Nets trailed 40-31 midway through the second quarter. After a Cam Johnson miss, Jalen Wilson corralled an offensive rebound near the sideline. With the Sixers’ defense in disarray, Wilson dished to a wide-open Simmons under the basket.
What should have been an easy bucket turned into a disaster as Simmons rose for a layup and hit only the backboard on his uncontested attempt. The awkwardness was amplified by Simmons using his off-hand, but even that couldn’t explain how badly he botched the shot.
The 6’10” Simmons rushed the play as if a prime Dikembe Mutombo was lurking nearby, despite only facing 6’2” Reggie Jackson and 6’6” KJ Martin. Simmons easily could have dunked but chose the ill-fated layup instead.
Adding irony to the blunder, it occurred in Philadelphia, where Simmons is still remembered for passing up a crucial layup in Game 7 of the 2021 Eastern Conference semifinals. In his return to the city, Simmons finished with just two points on 1-of-4 shooting, adding four rebounds and four assists in a 113-98 loss.
The three-time All-Star’s offensive struggles have been glaring this season. Entering Friday, Simmons was averaging a career-low 5.7 points on just 4.8 shot attempts per game and had reached double digits in scoring only once. Fans were quick to mock his latest misstep, piling on what has been a rough season for the former All-Star.