Ben Simmons on Celtics Fans' Rookie Chants: 'It Doesn't Affect Me at All'

Philadelphia 76ers star Ben Simmons downplayed the impact of chants by Boston Celtics fans, which questioned his rookie status, in Game 1 of the Eastern Conference Semifinals at TD Garden on Monday night.  

The fans serenaded Simmons with a "not a rookie" chant in the second half of the 76ers' 117-101 defeat, and Chris Forsberg of ESPN.com provided comments from the NBA Rookie of the Year front-runner, who missed his expected debut campaign in 2016-17 because of a foot injury.

"I don't care," Simmons said. "It doesn't affect me at all."

Boston also features one of the NBA's top rookies, Jayson Tatum, who told Forsberg he didn't hear the Simmons chants or the "he's a rookie" ones directed at himself. 

"At this point, I'm just focused on winning, not really matchups," Tatum said. "Just win. It's really a team thing right now."

Simmons remains eligible for Rookie of the Year honors despite being the first overall pick in the 2016 draft since he didn't play last season. Tatum and Donovan Mitchell of the Utah Jazz are among the other top contenders for the award.

Mitchell took notice of Monday's chants:

Simmons finished Game 1 with 18 points, seven rebounds and six assists, but he also turned over the ball seven times and picked up four fouls.

The Sixers need their 6'10" point guard to limit his mistakes in Thursday's Game 2 in Boston if they want to level the series before returning home to the Wells Fargo Center, where he'll see a more friendly crowd starting Saturday.