Five takeaways from the Sixers NBA 2K22 ratings, including Ben Simmons’ shooting dip and Joel Embiid’s fight for top center

NBA 2K22′s release date is here. The ratings of players and teams always get an extra look when the video game hits the market, and it’s no different with the Sixers.

The Sixers were one of 10 squads rated in the game’s tier 1 section after finishing the 2020-21 season with the NBA’s third-best record and a second-round playoff appearance. Philly received the lowest rating (81 overall) of the 10 teams in tier 1.

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Despite that grade, it looks like fans who play with the Sixers will not be at a competitive disadvantage. Seth Curry is included as one of the top-10 three-point shooters, Joel Embiid has the seventh-highest overall rating among all players and 2K creators are buying the Tyrese Maxey hype. Ben Simmons’ rating did drop a bit, but that’s only one ding against the Sixers.

Here are five takeaways from the Sixers ratings in NBA 2K22.

The NBA center debate lives on another season after Embiid and Nikola Jokic finished as runner-up and first place, respectively, in MVP voting.

It was like splitting hairs on 2K as both players received a 95 overall rating. Jokic had the advantage in inside scoring (92), outside scoring (94) and playmaking (83). Embiid outclassed his counterpart in rebounding (91) and defending (76). Believe it or not, both players received a 79 in athleticism.

At the moment, the reigning MVP has the slight advantage over the Sixers star.

Three seasons ago Ben Simmons reacted to his 87 overall rating on NBA 2K19 by saying “I’m coming for y’all” in a since-deleted tweet. He received the same rating the next two seasons, but now the three-time All-Star is on a downward trend.

Simmons’ 2K rating dropped to an 84, which is the lowest since his rookie season in 2017-18. He’s still charted as an elite defender and playmaker, but his three-point rating is a 58, which is lower thanDeandre Ayton, Boban Marjanovic, Dwight Howard and JaVale McGee.

This may not be much a surprise, but 2K does sometimes get caught rewarding reputations over a player’s game. Not in this case.

Matisse Thybulle received an 84 rating on defense, which was higher than wing defenders like Simmons, Jrue Holiday, Marcus Smart and Paul George. The aforementioned players did have a higher perimeter defense rating than Thybulle, who is ranked 25th.

Thybulle is listed as a small forward and power forward on 2K, which may have contributed to his perimeter defense placement. Kevin Durant, Jonathan Isaac and Jayson Tatum are the only players listed higher in perimeter grades with similar position rankings. However, only players like Jimmy Butler, Kawhi Leonard, Anthony Davis and Giannis Antetokounmpo received higher complete defensive numbers than Thybulle.

The Sixers finished top 10 in three-point shooting last season and were rewarded. Seven Sixers received an 80 or higher in three-point shooting. Mike Scott (77) and Shake Milton (78) just missed the cut.

Bench woes plagued the Sixers all season, especially when it mattered most against the Atlanta Hawks in the NBA playoffs. It looks like 2K is betting on an improved unit.

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Andre Drummond (79) received a slightly higher rating than Dwight Howard (78). Maxey and Milton both received a 76. The underrated addition of Georges Niang netted the Sixers their second-best shooter.

Five Sixers projected to come off the bench received a 75 rating or higher.