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Sixers' Ben Simmons on guarding Kyrie Irving: 'I think it will happen.'

Irving finished with 21 points in a preseason game against Sixers.

The Philadelphia Ben Simmons, right, and the Washington Wizards’ Otto Porter Jr. wrestle for the ball during the third quarter at the Capital One Arena in Washington, D.C., on Wednesday, Oct. 18, 2017. The Wizards won, 120-115.
The Philadelphia Ben Simmons, right, and the Washington Wizards’ Otto Porter Jr. wrestle for the ball during the third quarter at the Capital One Arena in Washington, D.C., on Wednesday, Oct. 18, 2017. The Wizards won, 120-115.Read more(Steven M. Falk/Staff Photographer)
    by Keith Pompey | Columnist
    Published 

Remember when the 76ers assigned Ben Simmons to guard Kyrie Irving after intermission of a preseason game on Oct. 6?

Simmons was asked following Friday's shootaround if he'll defend Irving in that night's matchup with the Boston Celtics at Wells Fargo Center.

"I think it will happen," Simmons said. "Probably."

Standing 6-foot-10, Simmons has a 7-inch height advantage over the Celtics point guard..

The Sixers rookie used his length to provide solid on-ball defense against the four-time all-star in Boston's 110-102 victory.

However, the former Cleveland Cavalier took advantage of the time when Simmons guarded him off-ball, especially when he tried to help out a teammate on defense. Being left open, Irving buried a couple of three-pointers. He actually finished with 21 points while making 5 of 7 three-pointers.