Brooklyn Nets blow out 76ers as Ben Simmons is showered with boos in his return to Philadelphia

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Brooklyn Nets teammates made sure they got the last laugh when Ben Simmons was booed in his return to Philadelphia on Thursday night.

Simmons was booed by the fans in Philadelphia when he came to town for the first time since requesting a trade over the summer, after his poor performance in the playoffs last year.

The jeers rained down on Simmons when he set foot on the floor. The former All-Star spent about 20 minutes helping warm up Patty Mills.

Simmons threw down a dunk in the middle of warming up Mills, which was the only time the fans cheered. Simmons passed up a dunk in Game 7 against the Hawks that was replayed throughout the summer and was seen as a major breaking point in his relationship with the 76ers and their fan base.

Simmons walked back to the floor just before the game as the 76ers were introduced. The fans booed loudly when Simmons was on the Nets bench, after the lights came back on.

The Nets were focused from the start of the game. The trio of Curry, Irving and Durant combined for 49 of Brooklyn's 71 first-half points. The win was a reminder of how dangerous the Nets can be if they are healthy and whole. This was the most important victory of the season.

Simmons, who nodded several times on the bench while listening to the crowd chant "F--- Ben Simmons!", sat next to Mills for much of the night while cheering on his teammates. There was an extra guard around the Nets bench to make sure fans were not rowdy.

Fans remained mostly quiet in the second half as the 76ers continued to lose, but they did not boo Simmons when he picked up a ball that had gone out of bounds. Fans yelled one more time while many on the Nets bench smiled and offered Simmons high-fives at the end of the team's most joyous night in two months. Nets fans showered Simmons with a celebration near the team's bench as his teammates smiled and clapped.

While it remains unclear when Simmons will be able to make his season debut as he continues to deal with a back issue, the Nets are hopeful that he will be able to take part in some of Saturday's practice as a first step towards getting back on the floor. Irving will be able to play in home games and be a full-time player again if New York Mayor Eric Adams decides to pull back the city's vaccination mandate.

The All-Star guard decided he didn't want to be, so he got revenge on both Irving and Durant, who both finished with 22 points. Harden was limited to a 3-for 17 shooting performance and 11 points by the duo.

Many in the organization are still confident that their championship dreams can be achieved this season, because of the win. The Nets believe Simmons can return to his old form quickly, as he is playing at a very high level. He was able to clear an important part of his journey by sitting on the bench.