The 2021 NBA playoffs may go down as one of the low points of Philadelphia 76ers star Ben Simmons‘ career. Unfortunately, his stats are indicating the same right now.
Throughout the Eastern Conference Semifinals, Ben Simmons struggled from the free throw line in virtually every game. He finished the playoffs making just 34.2-percent of his free throws.
But according to StatMuse, that puts him in rare company. He now holds the record for the lowest free throw percentage in a single playoffs in NBA history.
His 34.2-percent breaks the record previously held by notoriously-terrible free-throw shooter Shaquille O’Neal. In 2006, Shaq converted just 37.4-percent of his free throws.
The late-great Wilt Chamberlain converted just 38-percent in the 1968 playoffs.
Lowest FT% in a single playoffs in NBA history (min 70 attempts):
34.2 — Ben Simmons in 2021
37.4 — Shaquille O’Neal in 2006
38.0 — Wilt Chamberlain in 1968Elite company. pic.twitter.com/s14R8cCSKm
— StatMuse (@statmuse) June 21, 2021
If there’s any light at the end of the tunnel for Ben Simmons, it’s that Shaq and Wilt didn’t need to be great free throw shooters in order to dominate the NBA. The bad news is, both of them had already won NBA titles before their free throw woes became a liability.
Simmons has a long way to go before he’s even mentioned in the same breath as those two legends though.
After the way the NBA playoffs finished for the Philadelphia 76ers, Simmons’ future with the team is far from clear. Four straight playoff eliminations without a trip to the Conference Finals has completely aggravated the fanbase.
Assuming the 76ers don’t outright end Simmons’ partnership with Joel Embiid this offseason, the pressure will be on Simmons like never before in the 2021-22 season.
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