The Philadelphia 76ers had a great regular season, nabbing the No. 1 seed in the Eastern Conference. While they breezed through the first round, they faced an upset in the second, with the upstart Atlanta Hawks defeating them in seven games.
Many fans have blamed the series loss on All-Star Ben Simmons, who underperformed in the scoring department against the Hawks. Part of his scoring woes were due to his struggles at the free-throw line. Philadelphia 76ers fans are known for being a passionate fan base, and they sometimes boo their own players due to bad performances. That was the case for Ben Simmons. Danny Green offered some comments on the situation and claimed that the negativity from fans could affect someone like Ben Simmons, and that it needs to change.
Danny Green gave @JClarkNBCS his honest thoughts on Sixers fans on the latest Takeoff podcast.
LISTEN: https://t.co/jLYlHI58Up
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— NBC Sports Philadelphia (@NBCSPhilly) July 8, 2021
For sure. It has an effect on everybody, and I think that’s something that needs to change in the city. I love our fans, but when things aren’t going well, they can’t turn on you. That’s the one thing I would disagree with… Some guys use it as motivation, some guys use it as a chip on the shoulder, but I think that needs to change somewhat. They need to ride with us regardless of how things are going.
There is no question that the 76ers fans were disappointed with Ben Simmons, and that frustration showed in their actions. However, the booing won’t help Ben Simmons perform any better. While the fan frustration is understandable, it seems as though Danny Green believes that it should change and that 76ers fans should be supportive of their own players no matter the circumstances. The mental side of the game is very real, and hopefully, Ben Simmons is able to bounce back despite the hate he has received.
