New York Knicks sophomore RJ Barrett had a stellar season opener with 26 points on 11-of-15 shooting to go along with eight rebounds and five assists in a loss to the Indiana Pacers. That, however, was not the case against Ben Simmons and the Philadelphia 76ers.

The Knicks guard shot a sour 2-of-15 from the field on Saturday and struggled mightily against the defense of Simmons, who made the All-Defensive First Team in 2019-20.

The Aussie point guard spoke about making life tough for the Canadian wing. Acknowledging Barrett as “a good player,” the Sixers star said he just tried to do his job and make sure the 20-year-old felt his presence on the defensive end.

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Via Ky Carlin of Yahoo Sports:

“I can’t speak for other defenders, but, when you’re out there, you’re just playing basketball, and instincts kick in,” Simmons said after the Sixers' win. “He’s a good player. He’s not a bad player. He can knock down those shots. I just tried to show him different looks, make sure he felt me, and make sure I have that presence. No matter who’s out there.”

RJ Barrett certainly felt Ben Simmons on Saturday, as he scored just 10 points and missed all of his six triple tries in their 20-point loss to the Sixers. Simmons, meanwhile, tallied 15 points, nine boards, and six dimes to help steer Philly to their second win of the 2020-21 campaign.

Despite the huge knock on his inability to shoot the ball, Simmons has nonetheless become one of the premiere perimeter defenders in the NBA. He is a menace on that side of the floor with his length and athleticism. That aspect of his game has gone a bit under-the-radar, primarily due to his elite playmaking and dynamic transition scoring on the offensive end, as well as his woes on shooting the ball.