Over the summer, Philadelphia 76ers point-forward Ben Simmons said he was adding different pieces to his game, with free throw and jump shooting being key points of emphasis.
Through the first seven games of this season, though, Ben Simmons hasn't been showing off those new skills, as the reigning Rookie of the Year hasn't made a shot outside of the paint, via Basketball Reference.
Article Continues BelowBen Simmons did all of his damage in the paint last season. Simmons’ 12.7 points in the paint per game ranked fourth behind Giannis Antetokounmpo’s average of 15.7, Anthony Davis’ 15.4 and LeBron James’ 14.4.
Simmons, however, only shot 56.0 percent from the foul line during his rookie campaign and wasn’t a threat from the perimeter. He scored 80.4 percent of his points in the paint and rarely took any jump shots. Teams are once again sagging off him and daring him to shoot and, so far, he remains reluctant to shoot from the perimeter.
Entering Tuesday, Simmons was averaging 14.2 points, 10.8 rebounds, and 7.7 assists while shooting 46.5 percent from the floor. He hasn't attempted a 3-pointer yet and is shooting 63.3 percent from the charity stripe. Opposing defenses are going to continue to pack the paint and force Simmons to beat them from the outside. The tactic is working to start the season.