Ben Simmons Vs. Lonzo Ball Stats: Which NBA Rookie Is Winning The Race So Far?
The Ben Simmons and Lonzo Ball race for the NBA Rookie of the Year Award is on and so far it appears that they each are making strong cases for why they deserve the nod. There’s only been a handful of games so far, but the stats have been telling in their early careers. Both players have achieved at least their first career win in a game and each has had either a triple-double or a near-triple-double stat line. Here’s the latest update on how the Philadelphia 76ers’ Ben Simmons and Los Angeles Lakers are doing on the court.
Less than a week ago, Colin Cowherd of The Herd sports talk show gave his reasons for why Simmons will be the better overall player than Ball. Basically, Cowherd contends that Simmons is just a better athlete than Ball, who seems like he may get winded and lack energy as a game goes on. Cowherd praised Simmons for being “athletic longer, stronger, and more versatile.” He still said he likes Lonzo Ball, who “like Steph did to the three point shot, Lonzo will do to passing.” Cowherd also says that Ball will be a franchise-changing type of player for the Lakers, who will get way more publicity due to the team he plays for and, of course, his dad.
With that said, how do the two rookies compare so far this season? For his season, Lonzo Ball is averaging 13.3 points, 8.7 assists, and 9.3 rebounds a game. His numbers are looking like a microcosm of what Russell Westbrook achieved with his record-setting season or close to what Jason Kidd averaged in his heyday. Ball was particularly impressive in his outing against the Phoenix Suns where he put up 29 points on 12-for-27 shooting, including 4-of-9 three-pointers made. He also had 11 rebounds and nine assists, as well as four fouls and four turnovers.
.@LakersReporter talks with @ZO2_ after leading the #Lakers with 29 points and nearly recording a triple-double. pic.twitter.com/9LuQeLodh0
— Spectrum SportsNet (@SpectrumSN) October 21, 2017
In his follow-up game against the New Orleans Pelicans, Ball was lackluster. His shooting percentage was a woeful 23 percent including a 0-for-5 game from downtown. He also had 10 assists and eight boards, though. Ball returns to the court with the L.A. Lakers on Wednesday night when they’ll host John Wall and the Washington Wizards. Due to his dad’s bragging ways, Ball will be on the radar of plenty of current NBA All-Star players who want to show he’s not as good as LaVar has prematurely advertised.
As far as the Philadelphia 76ers’ Ben Simmons, he has put up double-doubles through his first several games, achieving history as a rookie and as a Sixers player. Last night was his best performance thus far, though, as Simmons recorded his first career triple-double. The former LSU star had 21 points, 12 rebounds, and 10 assists. He was 8-of-11 from the field and led the team to its first win, on the road, against the Detroit Pistons.
21 PTS / 12 REB / 10 AST@BenSimmons25's 1st triple-double https://t.co/e0zG52fe13
— Philadelphia 76ers (@sixers) October 24, 2017
According to ESPN’s Dave McMenamin, Cleveland Cavs star LeBron James was complimentary of the rookie after his recent triple-double performance.
“It’s the first of many for him. He’s a triple threat, ability to score in transition, rebound and pass the ball. His passing is his best quality and high basketball IQ. So, it’s the first of many triple-doubles for the young guy.”
As Sports Illustrated mentions in their report, Simmons is now the first player to have a “10-10-5” stat line through his first four career games since Oscar Robertson. He’s also the first player since Shaquille O’Neal to have four consecutive double-doubles in his career. Ironically, both stars arrived from LSU to the NBA and were highly-touted ahead of their pro careers.
Simmons, who is the 76ers’ starting point guard now, is actually averaging a double-double with 17 points per game and 10.8 rebounds. He’s also dishing out about seven assists per game to his teammates. Of course, it’s worth mentioning that Simmons has a better big man in Joel Embiid to pass to down low and also has JJ Redick on the wing for open threes. That said, Simmons has looked better so far in his limited time on the court. There’s still plenty of season ahead for both players to prove their case, though.
The two rookies will go head-to-head several times this season to give fans a possible look at who has the edge, as well as a future NBA Finals matchup. The first Ben Simmons vs. Lonzo Ball matchup may be seen when the Philadelphia 76ers play the Lakers in Los Angeles on Wednesday, November 15. They’ll meet for the second time to give these rookies their spotlight on Thursday, December 7, this time in Philadelphia.
[Featured Image by Mitchell Leff/Getty Images]
