Ben Simmons made his debut for the Brooklyn Nets against his former team, the Philadelphia 76ers, in a preseason loss. Simmons had a well-rounded showing with 6 points, 4 rebounds, 5 assists, and 1 steal, but left more to be desired after air balling a midrange shot and missing the 2 free throws he shot in the game.
Simmons was chosen for the post-game interview from the Nets after his 19-minute performance. He expressed his joy at playing basketball again and asked for the team to improve defensively. He also dismissed this as his debut, reiterating that his debut will be against the New Orleans Pelicans in the Nets’ regular-season opener.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hCb_a31BRrc
“It feels so good to be back. I’m just grateful and blessed to be back on the floor and play with these guys, so I’m happy.”
“I think overall it was solid. There’s a lot of room for improvement especially defensively, we learned things like that. It’s a whole new team with a lot of upside too.”
“The debut is coming. That is New Orleans.”
The Nets open their season on October 19 with the game against the Pelicans, as Simmons stated. They have 3 more preseason games to finish prior to that against the Miami Heat, Milwaukee Bucks, and Minnesota Timberwolves.
Ben Simmons Integral Role For The Brooklyn Nets
Seeing Simmons on the court with Kyrie Irving and Kevin Durant for the first time has provided some glimpses into how the Nets will be looking to use Simmons in their lineup. Ben took on playmaking duties while easily being the best defender on the court.
If Simmons can play his role at a high level, it frees up KD and Kyrie to focus more on getting buckets, as Simmons can be the man cleaning up behind them. His offensive woes are still prevalent in his game, so there needs to be a solution for that if Simmons is to be on the court in late-game situations.
The Nets can’t succeed without the defense and versatility that Simmons provides to their roster. Hopefully, the coaching staff uses him in the best possible way to maximize the chances for the Nets to be successful this season.
