The day has finally arrived. For the first time in 520 days, Ben Simmons will be suiting up for an NBA game in Philadelphia. However, this time it will be as a member of the Brooklyn Nets. Simmons of course has dealt with mental health challenges and back issues after being subjected to ruthless backlash from the 76ers fans following a disappointing playoff series loss in 2021.
When the schedule was initially released, this Sixers-Nets matchup was supposed to provide countless storylines, with almost none of them still being viable tonight. James Harden will not face off against his former team, following a less than ideal exit from Brooklyn last year. Joel Embiid will not play for Philly against Simmons, whom the star center has been critical of since the playoff exit. Tyrese Maxey won’t play either, essentially leaving P.J. Tucker as one of the only players left standing in Doc Rivers’ starting lineup.
On the Brooklyn side of things, embattled star guard Kyrie Irving will continue to ease himself back into the rotation following another controversy that kept him away from the team. However, Kevin Durant will be there, and so of course, will be Simmons. When healthy and whole, both teams project as potential NBA Finals contenders in a competitive eastern conference. So while some of the juice has been taken out of the game, that won’t let Sixers fans stop from enjoying the moment to make their voices heard to their old Australian friend.
How much love will the City of Brotherly Love show Simmons? Our bet? Not much. However, we can profit off of this as well too. So what’s the move?
Bet on Ben
If you’ve been paying attention to the Nets this season, you know how much controversy there’s been around this team. Whether it’s been the coaching change, Kyrie’s drama, the Simmons angle, among countless other things, the team has begun to right the ship over the last week.
Simmons in particular has been a major part of that as well. He’s started shaking off the rust, beginning to look more like the guy we saw in Philadelphia over the years. Considering how long he was away from the game, maybe that should’ve been expected, but it’s hard to not take notice of how much more comfortable he looks now. Over the last three games, Simmons has turned in 11, 15, and 22 point games, marking the first double digit scoring games of his Nets’ career.
Durant has been utilizing him in the pick-and-roll game, with Simmons’ finishing around the rim helping unlock Brookyn’s offense, giving them some much needed easy buckets. We think he can keep it going, especially after his comments on returning to the Wells Fargo Center. Does this look like a guy who’s worried?
The best price on Simmons points total comes from BetMGM, where he is listed at -115 to score at least 11 points in the game. However, let’s get a little crazy. Bet that on BetMGM and then head over to FanDuel for our favorite Simmons related play in this game.
FanDuel’s alternate points lines give us a +270 price on Simmons’ to score 15 or more points tonight. Given his involvement in the offense, that’s a great deal. A $100 bet on Simmons to score 15 or more points would payout an additional $270. Of course, it’s safer to take the bet on BetMGM, but the payout is much better with this wager on FanDuel. New users can sign up on FanDuel and receive UP TO $1,000 BACK IN BONUS BETS. As always, happy betting and please play responsibly. Most importantly, sit back and enjoy the show.