There's no denying that his outside shooting — or lack thereof — remains to be one of the biggest weaknesses in Ben Simmons' game. For his part, however, Sixers head coach Doc Rivers does not appear to be too concerned with this issue.
Rivers did acknowledge how Simmons could improve as a three-point shooter, but the Sixers shot-caller was also quick to remind everyone that you don't have to be a sharpshooter to be an all-time great. Doc's case in point is none other than the great Magic Johnson:
“It's funny,” Rivers said, via Justin Grasso of SI.com. “Before the three-point line was really popular, there was a guy named Magic Johnson. No one cared that he didn't make threes or shoot threes! They just loved how Magic played!”
While Rivers did not directly compare Simmons to Magic, it's hard not to see the similarities. Much like the Los Angeles Lakers legend, Simmons is also an oversized point guard with elite playmaking skills. The lack of a three-point shot is also a comparable facet to their games.
Rivers went on to explain why he believes Simmons continues to be unfairly treated by the media. At the end of the day, it's all about winning:
“I wish we could look at Ben more like that than needing him to be Steph Curry,” he said. “Because he's not going to be, nor could Steph be Ben. I think people put these guys in boxes, and they should put it in a winning box. Like, how does he affect winning? Ben affects winning in a big way for us.”
Fair point from coach Doc here. Simmons is his own unique player and trying to compare him to today's stars is futile. What cannot be denied, however, is that Ben Simmons has played a key role in Philly's unprecedented success this season. In the end, this is what matters the most.
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