Ben Simmons is still getting used to playing with his Nets teammates, and their teammates are getting used to running with him.
But as he settles into his role leading the second unit, they are beginning to show long-delayed signs of progress.
And his 12-assist performance off the bench in Monday's come-from-behind win at New Orleans was the clearest sign yet.
“It was impressive, especially the way he tried to find everyone,” said coach Jordi Fernandes. “And the players now are getting used to playing with him. If you're with him, you've got to be ready to shoot. Like Noah. [Clowney] When I caught the ball in the corner, I was inside the 3-point line. He wasn't ready on his feet.
“He said, ‘It’s my fault, it’s my fault.’ We’ve got to be in a better position.’” And it was great. He had 10 assists in the first half, but ended up with 12, which is an amazing number. And we needed it. [Saturday in Cleveland] We were missing his playmaking, his ball handling, his big body on both sides and defensively. So it's really good to have him back. ”
Last season, the Nets struggled to get used to playing with Simmons due to lingering lower back pain, and the roster was reshuffled over the summer.
Then, due to Nic Claxton's absence in the preseason and limited minutes early in the regular season, Simmons was forced to play center.
But so far Fernandez has sidestepped concerns about Simmons and Claxton, who aren't shooters, being lined up together, avoiding the issue.
Since Claxton returned to the starting lineup on Nov. 4, Simmons has settled into a reserve role primarily backing up point guard Dennis Schroder. And being back in a natural position obviously helped.
“It's going to be great to have Ben, because I believe that if we have Ben in the Cleveland game, we can win the game. That's obvious,” Fernandez said. “We have ball handlers, guys who have been there, guys who make fast plays. In the second half we stopped running, but Ben is the best at throwing the ball up front and making us run. It's good to have him back, for sure. He'll help with those things.”
Despite his 6-foot-10, 240-pound frame, Simmons is no center.
Both the eye test and detailed stats (-7.8 net rating, 4 fouls) showed that.
But coming off the bench primarily as a backup point guard, he had a plus-2.2 net rating, averaged half the fouls, and sparked the offense with his bounce passes and quick pushes up the court.
His assists in Monday's game in New Orleans were a season high and half of the team's total for the night. He added six points, five rebounds and two steals.
“Well, the more we play with each other, the easier it gets,” Simmons said. “I expect my players to take shots when they're open and when they're in their position. So the more we play with each other, the more comfortable we get and the better we get into a rhythm. Masu.”
Simmons had 10 assists Monday in a turnover-free first half. He joined Domantas Sabonis as the only players this season with double-digit assists and zero turnovers in the first half, but faltered in the second half.
“I was having a little bit of cramp, so it's my responsibility to take care of that and take care of it. That slowed me down a little bit, but I was still able to find my guys and play,” Simmons said, pointing to Boston. He vowed he would be fine for the rematch on Wednesday. “Yeah, I'll get better. I'll be there.”
In Friday's game against TD Garden, the Nets held a lead in the fourth quarter against the defending champion Celtics, but lost in overtime. Wednesday will be a chance for him to mesh with the second unit, especially Clowney.
“It's huge,” Simmons said. “It just looks different. I've played with some stretch fours or stretch fives, so I kind of have an idea of what that looks like. Then I worked with the Cracks to figure it out. But the more you do it, the easier it gets. So we're going to figure it out.”
