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Simmons questionable as Sixers look to bounce back against Wizards

Rookie point guard Ben Simmons is questionable with a sprained right ankle.

Sixers guard Ben Simmons is questionable for Wednesday’s game against Washington because of a sprained right ankle. YONG KIM / Staff Photographer
Sixers guard Ben Simmons is questionable for Wednesday’s game against Washington because of a sprained right ankle. YONG KIM / Staff PhotographerRead moreYong Kim / Staff

The 76ers will attempt to get their defensive identity back.

The defensive effort the Sixers displayed in Monday's 113-91 loss to Cleveland was not indicative of the team they want to become.

"We need to pressure," coach Brett Brown said. "We need to be more active and disruptive, and they need to feel us, and they didn't.

"That's the first thing that comes to my mind of how you can try to play our style and be smart."

LeBron James torched the Sixers for 30 points, 13 rebounds, and six assists. The Cavaliers also made 15 of 37 three-pointers. Cleveland's bench graded out with a combined plus-105 while producing 57 of the 113 points.

A lot of that can be attributed to the Cavs' having the superior team. However, the Sixers (11-8) did a poor job of keeping players in front of them.

The Sixers' first opportunity to show improvement comes Wednesday night against the Washington Wizards at the Wells Fargo Center.

Rookie point guard Ben Simmons is listed as questionable for the game after spraining his right ankle in the fourth quarter of Monday's loss. He hurt his ankle landing awkwardly after contesting Kyle Korver's pass underneath the Cavs' basket with 5 minutes, 9 seconds remaining. Simmons fell to the court.  After getting up, he immediately jogged to the locker room.

X-rays were negative on Monday. The Sixers did not have a formal practice on Tuesday, but Simmons was at the practice facility, receiving treatment on his ankle.

The team won't have a morning shootaround on Wednesday, but Simmons will receive more treatment in the morning. He'll see how his ankle feels during the 4:30 p.m. walk-through at the arena before determining his status.

The Sixers will face a Wizards team without John Wall. The four-time NBA all-star will miss his third straight game with a left knee injury. He received injections to treat inflammation on Saturday and is expected to be sidelined for three weeks.

The undermanned Wizards (11-9) will be playing in their second game in as many nights. They had lost four of five before rallying to win at Minnesota on Tuesday night.

Washington has split the last four meetings with the Sixers. However, Wall had a lot to do with Washington's 120-115 season-opening victory over the Sixers, posting 28 points and eight assists.

The Sixers still will have to contend with Bradley Beal. The Wizards shooting guard had 25 points in the season opener and was averaging 24.2 entering Tuesday's game.