Sixers-Cavaliers observations: Ben Simmons’ versatility, Jimmy Butler’s presence, Cavs’ dreadful state

CLEVELAND — Here are my main takeaways and best and worst awards from the 76ers' 128-105 victory over the Cleveland Cavaliers on Sunday at Quicken Loans Arena.

– The Sixers are hard to beat when Ben Simmons is on top of his game. The Sixers point guard’s ability to pass, rebound, and get points in the paint opens things up for his teammates.

– Wilson Chandler’s role is more vital than many people think, even though he’s not an offensive option. The power forward does a solid job on the defensive end and does the little things to help teammates get easier shots.

– A sharpshooter, Landry Shamet is one of the steals of June’s draft. However, the shooting guard will need to improve his defense to be more than a situational player.

– Jimmy Butler doesn’t have to score to make an impact. The swingman’s presence alone makes the Sixers better. He draws attention from opponents, which leads to easier shots for JJ Redick, Joel Embiid, and Simmons. He’s also a coach on the floor, giving instructions to teammates.

Best performance: I had to give this to Simmons for posting his third triple-double of the season. He had 22 points on 9-for-15 shooting and game highs of 14 assists and 11 rebounds.

Worst performance: This was an easy one. Alec Burks gets it after missing eight of his 10 shots and finishing with five points. He also graded out at a game-worst minus-28.

Best defensive performance: This goes to Mike Muscala for finishing with a game-high three blocks to go with one steal.

Worst statistic: I gave this to the Cavs' making just 64.7 percent (11 of 17) of their foul shots.

Best statistic: This goes to the Sixers' shooting a season-best 56 percent from the field (51-for-91).

Worst of the worst: This goes to the state of the four-time defending Eastern Conference-champion Cavs. The team fired coach Tyronn Lue early in the season. And none of the starters in last season’s NBA Finals played in Sunday’s game. LeBron James and George Hill are different teams, J.R. Smith is basically on a leave of absence until the team trades him, and Tristan Thompson and Kevin Love are injured.