Ben Simmons says Philadelphia 76ers had liability issues last season

Philadelphia 76ers star Ben Simmons said on Friday that the Sixers did not do enough to hold themselves accountable last season and that this played a big part in the team’s disappointing 2019-20 campaign.

“One hundred percent,” Simmons said when asked if former Sixer Josh Richardson’s comments about the team’s overall lack of accountability at the end of last season were accurate. “We didn’t know when we were going to get a bucket, who was going to get it. From there to knowing what we should be in at all times, people being held responsible for certain things, be it minor, everything plays a role.

“He was definitely right. We weren’t able to go into that bubble and win. I think our mindset was wrong, and accountability is a critical part of winning. So I think that. he was definitely right. “

In August, Richardson criticized former coach Brett Brown, saying he had failed to hold players accountable.

“He’s a good guy,” Richardson said at the time. “He’s a good man. He doesn’t mind. I just think in the future he needs to have more responsibility.

“I don’t think there has been a lot of responsibility this season, and I think that was part of our problem.”

Simmons also seemed to at least partially blame Brown, saying he saw a change with the arrival of Doc Rivers as Brown’s replacement during the offseason.

“By bringing in Doc and all these guys, and Doc’s team, with all these coaches, the maturity definitely increased with the team. And I think it’s been great to see that and to see the guys being responsible. some things and come here ready.with a different mindset, and also bring in these veterans like Dwight [Howard], Danny Green, this is really the bar. So you know what to expect. “

The 2019-20 season was a non-stop roller coaster ride for the Sixers. The team had to deal with a string of injuries that kept them from having the full roster together for most of the season, including injuries to Simmons’ back and knee. There was also Al Horford’s awkward fit next to Joel Embiid in the paint, which led to another set of problems and ultimately resulted in Horford being taken out of the starting lineup for the first extended period of his career.

These chemistry issues were evident throughout the away season, and Simmons admitted that they’ve kept Philadelphia – even without considering injuries – from being good enough to do the kind of bubble run that was expected.

“You just can’t get into a situation like the bubble … if you’re not ready, and you don’t already have that chemistry and that responsibility, and Doc and I have talked about that,” said Simmons. “You could tell that the teams that were doing well in the bubble were tight-knit and held accountable for some things that were going on, and you could see that. You kind of see it with the Clippers now, with things coming out. ” Same thing for us. The guys weren’t held responsible, including me. So you really see it. One team that did well was the Lakers. The Heat were playing well; it is a very united group. The Celtics played well, and he showed in the bubble. “

Perhaps the only team last season that had discussed their internal chemistry more than the Sixers was Rivers’ former team, the LA Clippers. The latest salute on that front came earlier this week when Paul George appeared on the “All the Smoke” podcast and criticized the way it was used by Rivers last season.

Simmons said that from his conversations with Rivers, what he took away is that it will be up to the players to hold each other accountable.

“It depends on the players,” he said. “There can only be so much going on with the players and the coaches, and it’s up to the players to make sure they are held accountable. And if they don’t listen and do certain things, they won’t win. But I think it’s a great opportunity for us, being younger guys, to have someone like Doc, so we have to do that. “

Simmons, whose season ended with a knee injury in the bubble, said he was 100% healthy and training fully and without restrictions at the team’s facilities. He also said he plans to play in the Olympics for Australia next summer, assuming he is in good health and able to do so.