Philadelphia 76ers’ Ben Simmons Makes the Most Bizarre Request to NBA

The NBA teams are grinding it out against each other by playing scrimmage games. Each team gets a brief scrimmage schedule ahead of the resumption of the revised regular-season fixtures. The Philadelphia 76ers just got done with their first scrimmage game and it can be said that the Sixers’ camp is a happy one at the moment. 

Besides getting the victory in their first scrimmage game, Ben Simmons expressed his comments on something that will be missing inside the NBA bubble. The games will be conducted without any fans in the arena due to safety measures that have to be followed. 

However, the league has a plan in mind and that is to add virtual fans to bring a feeling of playing in a packed arena. Though the players will actually miss the presence of their faithful supporters inside the bubble, having virtual fans is great news. European soccer leagues have been following it since they resumed schedule and it is certainly a small fix to the empty arena problem. 

Philadelphia 76ers miss playing at the Wells Fargo Center

In the post-match press conference, Simmons was asked to give his views on the league’s new idea. The new power-forward of the Sixers seems okay with it, but has a suggestion to make too.

“They better put some boos in there for us,” Simmons said. “If we are not playing hard, we want to hear those boos.”

However, the two-time All-Star knows the significance of a home crowd support and that it is impossible to replicate it elsewhere. “You can’t put this here and have fans on the screen and kind of replicate Sixer fans,” he added. “We’re one of a kind. They’ll do their best but there’s nothing like playing at home at Wells Fargo [Center].”

Simmons is certainly not just uttering words when he says that home support is immense. The Philadelphia 76ers are one of the best teams when they play at home. Prior to the season’s suspension, the Sixers had a 39-26 record. 

While their W/L ratio might just be a little place above the 50% mark, their home record is one of the best in the league. The Philadelphia 76ers certainly step up their game when playing at home. 

In the current season, the Sixers boast a 93.5 winning record while playing at the Wells Fargo Center. Their away record? Not too good at all. In fact, it is the opposite of their win percentage. On the road, the Sixers only display a 29.4 win percentage. Thus, the presence of fans truly inspires the team. But without fans inside the Orlando bubble, how far can they go? 

SOURCE: Ben Simmons on making 3pt shot in NBA scrimmage + Grizzlies vs 76ers 7.24.20  Philadelphia 76ers Records