re: Ben Simmons is looking like Magic Johnson

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Offensively he's Blake Griffin who isn't living in the paint.

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Much better ball handler and passer than Griffin ever will be. Griffin's game is more physical than Simmons, Griffin likes to post up and bang people and to go over them or draw fouls when he's not taking jumpers. Simmons great ball handling for someone that size allows him to take the bigger guys that are guarding him off the dribble and lose them for easy dunks or assists if someone slides over to intercept him.

But I agree with sunnydaze in that he is like Lebron more than a Magic Johnson. He is built like Lebron was just 2 inches taller and will get bigger body wise as he matures more, he's athletic like Lebron and a great ball handler and passer like Lebron is. He just isn't all around like Lebron is when it comes to playing defense and having a jump shot from the outside.

You’re right and I meant to say is that he’s Blake Griffin if Griffin was a ball handler and facilitator.

I think If Simmons didn’t have he handles he does he could easily work the post and be a 20/10 player right now.

But he does a lot more and is a 16/8/8

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EVERY NBA coach wants his team to shoot a dunk shot ON EVERY ATTEMPT HIS TEAM TAKES FROM THE FIELD!!! You are making the case for how awsome Ben is when EVERYBODY knows he can't shoot outside of the paint, and yet he is still WRECKING the association.

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Hey moron,.....there is a damn good reason that, despite his Simmons being #12 minutes played that he is #182 in the league in field goal attempts per 36 minutes.

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I hope you are implying that 80s defense was horrific.


Because it absolutely was. It was literally stand around and watch defense

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I love the downvote you got even though you are right. Outside of the Pistons, 80s Defense was objectively terrible. That is a fact and is backed up by almost every metric.

It was a TOUGHER game in some ways based on how hard you could foul, but the Defense was not good.

The 90s Defense drastically improved, so much so they had to change the rules (for the better).

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And he’s top 50 in points despite that.

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Being top 50 in points when you are #12 in total minutes and a primary ball handler isn't exactly an accomplishment. He's #138 in the NBA points per 36 minutes good for 5th on his own team. I'll give you that he's smart enough not to take shots he can't make.

He fact that he is 5th in his team in pts per 36 minutes tells me he is facilitating scoring by his teammates. In other words, he’s doing his job, and doing it very well.

Simmons is a really good player, but I would never consider him close to the greatest. While he makes the players around him better, he is very dependent on the other players. A truly great player makes the others around him better, but has the ability to take over a game if needed.

Don't get me wrong, there isn't a single team that wouldn't want Ben Simmons and I'm sure the other players love to play with him as he is a pass first player, who sets them up with good looks at the basket.

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Simmons averaged .4 rebounds and .9 assists more than Magic did as a rookie. Wow! He averaged 15.6 PPG compared to 18.0 PPG for Magic. Magic was an NBA All-Star and NBA Finals MVP as a rookie. Simmons didn't even make the All Star team. Magic started at CENTER in placed of Kareem in the Finals clincher, played 47 minutes and dropped 42 on Philly in the Spectrum, grabbed 15 rebounds and dished out 7 assists. Simmons may become a HOFer but saying he has done things that "not even Magic" did as a rookie is flat out stupid.

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You bring up some good points. And I agree with most of it. However, he did beat Magic in 2 statistical categories, and you can't deny that. Not to mention Ben is 10x better at taking it to the rim and dunking.

Without question, he should have made the all star game. Any player averaging a triple double should make it. And will be rookie of the year.

And in Ben's defense, this is his first year playing the point and will certainly get better. He was poorly coached in college and played out of position, whereas Magic played in his position and was well coached in college. Giving him a little bit more time and experience playing the point.

I also wonder was Magic surrounded by better players? I mean, Pilli's team is ok, but I sure don't see any legends out there.

I’m not arguing Ben’s skills at all.. he’s a great player already. But he’d be so much easier to cheer for if he wasn’t such a dick.