Kendrick Perkins was so impressed by Ben Simmons' defense that he couldn't help but write an expletive tweet about it. Simmons and the Philadelphia 76ers were bested by the Portland Trail Blazers, 118-114 at Moda Center on Thursday. Still, Perkins gushed over Simmon's lockdown defense against Damian Lillard and company.

Simmons' defense has always been one of the most underrated aspects of his game. Some people are often quick to discredit his work on the other end of the floor because he usually has a towering height advantage over smaller guards. But Perkins, who was also a tough defender during his playing days, definitely acknowledges it.

Most fans and pundits continue to criticize Simmons for failing to evolve his game to the next level, particularly his struggles shooting the long ball.

But not much has been said about his ability to hold down the NBA's best scorers or his huge impact in terms of the Sixers' overall performance. The two-time All-Star even led the NBA in steals last season and made it to the NBA All-Defensive First Team for the first time in his career.

Simmons was hounded by trade rumors at the beginning of the season, which likely factored in his slow start. But now that he has put those worries behind him, the 24-year-old floor general is playing much better over the last few games.

Against the Trail Blazers, Ben Simmons finished one assist shy of a triple-double, putting up 23 points, 11 rebounds, and nine dimes. He made 10 of his 12 field goals and also added a steal and a block in 37 minutes.