The Philadelphia 76ers beat the New Orleans Pelicans last night 117-97 to start kickoff the 2021 NBA season. Tomorrow night, they will have their home opener in South Philadelphia against the Brooklyn Nets. Joel Embiid, Tobias Harris, Tyrese Maxey, and Jesus Christ (I mean, Furkan Korkmaz), all scored over 20 points in the winning effort.

It was great to see the Sixers take the court after a brutal offseason of the Ben Simmons soap opera. We initially thought that the soap opera would continue today as the the 76ers took the floor in Camden for practice, but apparently that won’t be the case. 

Per Justin Grasso of SINow, the 76ers will not hold practice today. Last night, the 76ers indicated that last night before heading home from New Orleans. 

What does that mean for Ben Simmons? He was only suspended one game and was expected to rejoin the team today. Obviously, the most recent report about Simmons was that he would do “whatever” it takes to get out of Philadelphia, so the likeliness of that actually happening was pretty low regardless. 

I think the 76ers should have practice and just so they can get Ben Simmons back to Camden to kick him out again. Keep hitting him with fines, don’t pay him, and let’s take that gas money too. I want nothing more than Ben Simmons just driving back and forth from Moorestown to Camden only to be told to go home again. 

Looking ahead to tomorrow, I would have to assume that Ben Simmons will show up, refuse to play, be asked to leave, and then the 76ers will fine him. The other scenario would be that Ben Simmons shows up, plays, Wells Fargo Center gives him absolute hell. 

I’m still in the “Fine Ben into Poverty” camp honestly but just like we have been doing for the past four months, we’ll just have to wait and see what the next move is for the 76ers and Ben Simmons. 

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