TORONTO, ON - NOVEMBER 23: Ben Simmons #10 of the Brooklyn Nets reacts after getting a block on Chris Boucher #25 of the Toronto Raptors during the second half of their NBA game at Scotiabank Arena on November 23, 2022 in Toronto, Canada. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Cole Burston/Getty Images)
Ben Simmons needs he has to help out his teammates on the offensive end if the Brooklyn Nets want to remain in the playoffs hunt in Kevin Durant’s absence. Their most recent loss against Boston Celtics made the Australian playmaker realize just how he needs to score buckets in order for the Nets to have any chance of winning games.
Brooklyn Nets lost on Thursday 109-98 against the defending Eastern Conference Champions in a hard-fought manner. In the game, the Cs led only by a maximum stretch of 9 points, with Kyrie Irving and Royce O’Neal among other players giving their all to close down the gap in the fourth quarter. However, Simmons once again wasn’t active on the scoring end.
Now with Durant out, the Brooklyn Nets are aware that their marquee player who dropped a consistent 25-30 point-tally will no longer be able to work their scoreboard. This is just why the entire team needs to step up.
While you may be impressed with Kyrie Irving, the bigger story of Thursday’s loss was one of the strangest performances you will ever see from Nets big man Ben Simmons. The 26-year-old player from the land down under went scoreless on 0 of 3 shooting while posting 9 rebounds and 13 assists on his way to a team-high plus-10.
“Just being assertive and being aggressive and knowing that my team needs that,” Simmons said in the post-game interview. “I think I’m giving the ball up way too many times when I know who I am, I know I need to get to the rim and get buckets. And that’s also going to help my teammates and get them going.”
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