Philadelphia’s bench has hit rock bottom, and a struggling Anfernee Simons may be the cause.
Key points
- The 76ers rank last in the NBA for bench scoring, averaging just 17.5 points per game.
- Anfernee Simons has struggled early in the season, shooting below 30% overall and from three‑point range.
- The team’s current success rests on defense and its starting lineup; bench production will be critical for sustained competitiveness.
The Philadelphia 76ers signed guard Anfernee Simons on a modest free‑agency deal hoping he would revive a chronic bench‑scoring problem, but the team now sits at the bottom of the league in that category, according to a report from thesixersense.com.
The Sixers are averaging a meager 17.5 points per game from their reserves, a full 7.5 points behind the 29th‑ranked team. That gap is larger than the difference between the league’s fifth‑ and sixteenth‑ranked squads, underscoring how severe the shortfall has become.
Bench scoring crisis
Simons’ numbers illustrate the issue: over the first four games he has logged just six points, 2.3 rebounds and 1.3 assists per outing while shooting 25.8% from the field and only 23.8% from three‑point range. His debut against the New York Knicks produced 13 points on 5‑of‑10 shooting, but his shot has since “abandoned” him, the article notes.
The piece suggests that a lack of preseason reps and a shift to a largely off‑ball role may be contributing factors, yet the 76ers acquired Simons specifically for his scoring punch off the bench. Without a rebound in his shooting, the team’s offensive balance could remain skewed toward its starters.
Simons' early‑season performance
Philadelphia has relied on strong defense and clutch performances to win games so far, but the article warns that continued bench deficiencies could force the Sixers to look elsewhere for scoring depth, potentially making Simons expendable if his slump persists.
Reader questions
How many points does the 76ers' bench average per game?
The bench averages 17.5 points per outing, which is the lowest total among all NBA teams.
What are Anfernee Simons' shooting percentages in the first four games?
Simons is shooting 25.8% from the field and 23.8% from three‑point range.
Source: thesixersense.com
