Heading into the second game of the season, the Philadelphia 76ers will have the daunting task of taking on the Boston Celtics, led by All-Star point guard Kyrie Irving.
With that in mind, rookie Ben Simmons told Keith Pompey of The Inquirer that he believes that he will draw the defensive assignment of guarding Irving.
“I think it will happen,” Simmons said. “Probably.”
Simmons had briefly received that responsibility during the preseason meeting between the two teams as he played the point guard position on the floor. In this matchup, the 21-year-old holds the advantage of being 6-foot-1o, which is seven inches taller than Irving.
If Simmons is hoping to take significant steps in his development this season, it will require him to take on the task of guarding some of the game's best point guards. Irving will provide an early test as he's one of the most difficult defensive assignments given his scoring ability and ball-handling skills that are second to none in the league.
The former 2016 first overall pick had a strong showing in the season-opener against the Washington Wizards recording a double-double with 18 points and 10 rebounds along with five assists and two steals in the Wednesday loss.
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