Doc Rivers Discusses Ben Simmons' 'Special' Game 1 Performance vs. Wizards

Sixers head coach Doc Rivers raved about Ben Simmons' performance against the Wizards on Sunday night.

The Sixers kicked off the postseason on a high note Sunday. After an incredible performance from Tobias Harris, the Sixers took game one by a final of 125-118. 

Harris was not the only Sixer to have a big performance in game one. Joel Embiid and Ben Simmons both played their part in securing the victory. 

Simmons did little scoring in the series opener but still left his mark all over the game. He finished with a double-double, grabbing 15 rebounds and dishing a playoff-career high 15 assists. 

He also showed why he is a finalist for Defensive Player of the Year after making life miserable for Wizards' guard Bradley Beal. 

Affecting the game outside of the box score is something that has become synonymous with Simmons. Despite only finishing with six points, Doc Rivers thought the 24-year-old All-Star was outstanding in the win. 

"I thought he was special tonight. Whoever he guarded struggled scoring. He created so many points for us tonight," said Rivers. 

Not many players can impact a game the way Simmons can. From his ability to defend all five positions to his elite-level playmaking, very few players in history have been cut from the same cloth as Simmons. 

Simmons' rare skill set is something Rivers focused on during his postgame media availability Sunday. Even going as far as to say he is a treasure in this league. 

"He is a treasure. He is something that you don't see a lot of in this league. He has a skill set that is so different. All I see is greatness in him," Rivers said in reference to Simmons. 

While Embiid and Harris were carrying the scoring load, Simmons made sure to do more than his part on the other end. If the Sixers' big three can continue to operate at this level, they will be extremely tough to beat. 

Kevin McCormick covers the Philadelphia 76ers for South Jersey's 97.3 ESPN and Sports Illustrated. You can follow him on Twitter: @KevinMcCNBA.