PHILADELPHIA -- Ben Simmons got an earful from the Philadelphia crowd.
With the same 76ers fans Simmons put on blast for booing in the playoff opener now going wild in Game 2, Simmons cupped a hand to his right ear just like Allen Iverson's signature move to spur the cheers even louder.
And he did it with Iverson rooting on the Sixers from courtside.
Simmons had 18 points, 12 assists and 10 rebounds, and the Philadelphia 76ers had an answer for the pesky Brooklyn Nets in a 145-123 victory to even their Eastern Conference playoff series Monday night.
"I was just trying to be me," Simmons said.
Simmons had a disastrous Game 1, on the court (nine points) and from a public relations perspective after he criticized fans for booing during a game the Sixers were never really in. He backtracked the next day at practice and never gave another 20,591 fans a chance to do anything but roar in approval in Game 2. Simmons flashed the All-Star form that helped lead the Sixers to 51 victories, and was aggressive from the opening tip. He used his size and speed to attack the lane and scored 16 points in the half en route to his second career postseason triple-double.
The Sixers busted the game open with a 14-0 run to start the second half, and then stretched the lead to 20 on a Simmons steal and fast-break basket. With a packed house standing, Simmons got a massive ovation when he cupped his hand to his right ear just like Iverson did in his prime.
"I was thinking about the boos from the last game," Simmons said, smiling. "I have a lot of love for this city."
Iverson and former Sixers teammate Dikembe Mutombo attended the game and tossed T-shirts into the crowd.
Had Mutombo played in this one, the Nets surely would have received one of his signature finger wags.
"Everybody's got to bring it," Sixers All-Star center Joel Embiid said. "We need everybody."
The Sixers got a little something from everybody in this one.
The Nets collapsed in the second half, outplayed and overmatched much as expected by pundits and bookmakers. The Sixers scored 51 points on 18-of-25 shooting and made all 11 free throws in the third quarter.
"We expect a haymaker," Nets Coach Kenny Atkinson said before the game. "We know it's coming. They're too good, too talented. too well coached. It's coming. It's going to be how we react."
Not well.
Embiid shook off another game-time decision to play through tendinitis in his left knee and delivered after a sluggish Game 1. Embiid scored 13 points in the third as the Sixers raced to a 29-point lead.
"Whenever I'm out there, I kind of forget about the pain and just try and do the right things," Embiid said.
On a minutes restriction, Embiid had some unexpected help from popular backup Boban Marjanovic. He scored 14 points in the first half (only Simmons had more with 16) and let the Sixers find a comfort level on offense with Embiid out for long stretches.
"This is just the path we're on with Joel," Philadelphia Coach Brett Brown said. "There is zero doubt he is our crown jewel."
Sports on 04/16/2019