The Ben Simmons the Nets got in their win over the Trail Blazers is more like the three-time All-Star they hoped for when they acquired him at last season's trade deadline.
In 32 minutes off the bench, Simmons flirted with a triple-double by posting season-highs of 15 points and 13 rebounds to go along with seven assists. The Nets outscored the Trail Blazers by 13 points with him in the game, giving him the second-best plus-minus on the team.
Simmons also came up big down the stretch. A career 59.6 percent free throw shooter, the Trail Blazers intentionally fouled him a couple of times in the closing minutes of the game to send him to the line, and he connected on three of his four attempts.
"We had no doubts when he walked up there," Kevin Durant said of Simmons. "I feel like we all were confident, just the way the game was flowing and just how he was playing. Everybody felt his energy to start the game, so I felt super confident when he went up there. Three for four, crunch time like that, that was key for us, we needed those.
"He shot them like he was confident and he ran back down court like he knew it was going in. When he's playing aggressive like that, when he's downhill, he's talking — he did it all for us tonight. I'm excited for him because this is the type of game that we all needed to see. I think everybody else on the outside, basketball fans in general, couldn't wait to see this type of performance from him.
"Like I said, we expect that from him every night."
🙌 @BenSimmons25 delivered his best game of the season in the @brooklynnets win in Portland! #NetsWorld
— NBA Australia (@NBA_AU) November 18, 2022
📊 15 PTS | 13 REB | 7 AST | 6-6 FG pic.twitter.com/QHRN7mQMW1
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Simmons entered the game with season averages of 5.8 points, 6.1 rebounds and 5.6 assists while shooting 48.1 percent from the field, all of which were the lowest marks of his career. He has dealt with soreness in his left knee, an injury that has sidelined him for a total of five games so far.
The Athletic's Shams Charania and Sam Amick reported on Nov. 16 that Brooklyn's coaching staff and players have been "concerned" about Simmons' availability and level of play. The Nets reportedly had a players-only meeting following a loss to the Pacers at the end of October, in which Markieff Morris talked about how the team needs Simmons to succeed.
“You’re obviously not gonna be happy when anybody’s out,” Simmons told The Athletic. “But for me, I’ve been dealing with the knee since the start of the season. It’s been swollen. I had PRP (injections). I had blood drained a couple times. So it’s not a made up thing, you know? It’s a real thing.
“I get (the skepticism), but I think the one thing with me is that I’m a competitor. I want to win and play. So I’m gonna do what I can to get out there.”
Simmons has now put together his two best performances of the season, scoring in double figures in back-to-back games. Next up for the Nets is a home game against the Grizzlies, followed by a matchup with the 76ers that will see Simmons make his long-awaited return to Philadelphia.
