Simmons received encouragement from Iverson after 1-point game
Coming off the worst game of his young career, Ben Simmons received support from a man who was once in his shoes.
The Philadelphia 76ers point guard said Allen Iverson reached out to him after Simmons scored just one point in Thursday's 108-103 loss to the Boston Celtics.
"He just said play the game I know how to play," Simmons said Friday, according to ESPN's Ian Begley. "And that's just second nature to me. ... He gave me some words of encouragement."
Related: Celtics perfected game plan to shut down Simmons ... for now
The performance marked a career low in points and the first time Simmons failed to convert on a field goal in the rookie's 88 NBA contests. Afterward, he described his woes as "self-inflicted" and rooted in his overthinking, rather than crediting the Celtics for their physicality and success in limiting his drives and ability to create for his teammates.
The following day, he shut down the notion that his confidence might've taken a hit.
"It's very high," he said. "I'm a very confident person every time I step on the floor. So that's not going to change."
Related: Mitchell expects Simmons to 'respond back' after 1-point outing
In addition to his single made free throw, Simmons turned the ball over five times and was a game-worst minus-23 in 31 minutes, as his team fell into a 0-2 East semifinals hole. The 76ers were outscored by 44 points in the 73 minutes the probable Rookie of the Year was on the court.
Despite his struggles, coach Brett Brown indicated he's not going to bench his prized first-year guard. Simmons and Co. will look to bounce back Saturday when the series swings to Philly for Game 3.