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There's no denying that Ben Simmons is no longer the superstar he once was. At the same time, however, the fact still remains that he's established himself as a viable option off the bench for the Los Angeles Clippers since joining the team midseason.
Simmons, though, failed to get off the bench in L.A.'s 111-105 victory against the Denver Nuggets in Game 6 on Thursday night. While he hasn't logged heavy minutes throughout the series (he's averaged a little over eight minutes per game), the fact that he didn't even get the chance to take the court in Game 6 is something worth noting.
Clippers head coach Ty Lue spoke to reporters after the game, and the veteran shot-caller also discussed his decision to bench Simmons. Lue heaped praise on the former Rookie of the Year for the way he reacted to the same.
“I told the guys after the game — [Kris Dunn] and Ben [Simmons] still up cheering — it’s about being a team," Lue said, via Clippers beat reporter Joey Linn. "Whatever it takes to win. And those guys totally understood it.
"… I just wanna say thank you to them.”
Los Angeles Clippers head coach Tyronn Lue in the third quarter against the Denver Nuggets. Mandatory Credit: Isaiah J. Downing-Imagn Images
It wasn't just Simmons who got benched in Game 6. Kris Dunn, who's started all six games of this series thus far and has averaged 22.8 minutes per contest, was limited to just 10 minutes on Thursday after Lue decided to start Nicolas Batum over Dunn in the second half.
Much like Simmons, however, Dunn was also seen cheering on his teammates from the bench throughout the contest. Both veterans proved with their behavior in Game 6 that they've put the interest of the team ahead of their own -- and their coach has shown his appreciation for their team-first mentality.
There's no guarantee that Simmons will play in Game 7 on Saturday, but based on his reaction to his Game 6 benching, it appears that the three-time All-Star is willing to accept whatever role he is asked to play for his team.
As Lue said, "whatever it takes to win."
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Simmons, though, failed to get off the bench in L.A.'s 111-105 victory against the Denver Nuggets in Game 6 on Thursday night. While he hasn't logged heavy minutes throughout the series (he's averaged a little over eight minutes per game), the fact that he didn't even get the chance to take the court in Game 6 is something worth noting.
Clippers head coach Ty Lue spoke to reporters after the game, and the veteran shot-caller also discussed his decision to bench Simmons. Lue heaped praise on the former Rookie of the Year for the way he reacted to the same.
“I told the guys after the game — [Kris Dunn] and Ben [Simmons] still up cheering — it’s about being a team," Lue said, via Clippers beat reporter Joey Linn. "Whatever it takes to win. And those guys totally understood it.
"… I just wanna say thank you to them.”
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Los Angeles Clippers head coach Tyronn Lue in the third quarter against the Denver Nuggets. Mandatory Credit: Isaiah J. Downing-Imagn Images
It wasn't just Simmons who got benched in Game 6. Kris Dunn, who's started all six games of this series thus far and has averaged 22.8 minutes per contest, was limited to just 10 minutes on Thursday after Lue decided to start Nicolas Batum over Dunn in the second half.
Much like Simmons, however, Dunn was also seen cheering on his teammates from the bench throughout the contest. Both veterans proved with their behavior in Game 6 that they've put the interest of the team ahead of their own -- and their coach has shown his appreciation for their team-first mentality.
There's no guarantee that Simmons will play in Game 7 on Saturday, but based on his reaction to his Game 6 benching, it appears that the three-time All-Star is willing to accept whatever role he is asked to play for his team.
As Lue said, "whatever it takes to win."
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Related: NBA Reacts to Kyrie Irving's Unexpected Appearance at Clippers-Nuggets Game
Related: James Harden Makes His Opinion of Nikola Jokic Crystal Clear
Continue reading...
