The drama around the Brooklyn Nets seems neverending.
A roster featuring Kevin Durant, Kyrie Irving, and Ben Simmons fell to 1-3 after a 110-99 loss to the Milwaukee Bucks on Wednesday night.
Simmons scored just four points on 2-of-7 shooting from the field. He did dish out nine assists, but there are times when the 2016 No. 1 overall pick needs to be more aggressive instead of just being a distributor. And there was an example of this during Wednesday’s game that frustrated Irving.
In the third quarter, Irving set Simmons up for a close-range shot in the paint. The 6’10” point forward instead passed the ball back to Durant on the perimeter, and Durant took two dribbles before making a jumper.
A frustrated Irving threw his arms in the air and yelled, “Shoot it, Ben!”
It worked out, but Simmons — and any NBA player, especially ones that are 6’10” — needs to be taking shots like this (he may even be able to dunk it if he goes up strong).
Simmons sat out the 2021-22 NBA season while dealing with physical and mental health issues. He was traded from the Philadelphia 76ers to the Brooklyn Nets as part of a blockbuster deal that sent James Harden to Philadelphia.
In four games with Brooklyn this season, Simmons is averaging 5.3 points, 7.5 assists, and 5.8 rebounds.
To be a serious contender, the Nets will need Simmons, Durant, and Irving to form a three-headed monster. That will require Simmons to be much more assertive on offense and be productive as a scorer.
[Photo Credit: YES Network]
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About Matt Clapp
Matt is an editor/writer at The Comeback and Awful Announcing.
He can be reached by email at mclapp@thecomeback.com.