Sixers' Ben Simmons Looking Forward To Challenge vs. Wizards' Backcourt

The Sixers kick off their first-round matchup with the Wizards this Sunday. When looking at how to slow down their offense, you don't have to look much farther than their starting backcourt.

Russell Westbrook and Bradley Beal have had a strong season for Washington and are big reasons why they have made it to the postseason. Westbrook completed the season averaging a triple-double, while Beal finished second in the league in scoring.

Halting their offense onslaught will be the key for the Sixers as they look to advance deeper into the playoffs.

While Westbrook and Beal have given most teams trouble, the Sixers have the personnel to contain them. Ben Simmons and Matisse Thybulle will likely spend the majority of their minutes as the primary defender on the explosive backcourt.

On Friday, Simmons answered questions regarding the challenge of taking on a pair of guards with so much firepower. The DPOY finalist acknowledges it will be a challenging matchup, but he has no intentions of back down.

"I mean one is an MVP, and one is one of the best scorers in the league in Beal. It's going to be a tough matchup and a tough challenge for me," said Simmons.

Simmons has prided himself all season on guarding the opposing team's best player on a nightly basis. A matchup like this will allow him to showcase his defensive abilities on a larger scale in the playoffs.

The Wizards cannot be overlooked because they are the eighth seed. Their backcourt can make a team pay for falling asleep on them. The Sixers know this all too well as Beal went for 60 against them early in the regular season.

Having to face a team like this is a good opening matchup for the Sixers. They will have to slow down some elite-level guards if they want to make it to the NBA finals. Defending Westbrook and Beal in round one will help better prepare for that situation.

Kevin McCormick covers the Philadelphia 76ers for South Jersey's 97.3 ESPN and Sports Illustrated. You can follow him on Twitter: @KevinMcCNBA.