Before Ben Simmons arrived in Brooklyn as a part of final season’s blockbuster James Harden commerce, he began in all 275 video games throughout his four-year stretch with the Philadelphia 76ers.
Now with the Nets, Simmons’ function has modified. He has come off the bench in every of the Nets’ final two video games and 7 of the 40 video games he has performed this season. He tasks to return off the bench once more in Brooklyn’s cross-bridge rivalry recreation in opposition to the Knicks on Monday.
His bench function might span the rest of the season for a Nets crew that has eight gamers who’ve been longtime starters for various groups this season.
Simmons says he has “no idea” what his function might be shifting ahead with this new-look crew.
“Everything’s been changing all year, so it’s hard to really understand what’s going on, but hopefully we find some rhythm and consistency,” he mentioned after shootaround Monday morning. “It’s different. It’s a different experience (coming off the bench). So whatever the team needs from us to win, I’m willing to do that.”
Simmons mentioned his again and knee aren’t at present giving him points.
He underwent an offseason again process, which he says had compensatory implications on his left knee. He has missed two totally different stretches of video games because of the left knee — first a four-game absence due a lateral left calf pressure, then one other 4 video games on account of a subsequent bout with knee soreness — with each stretches coming after enjoying in each video games of a back-to-back.
Simmons says he has not had any extra fluid drained from his knee.
“It’s getting there,” he mentioned with optimism. “I’m able to play. For me, that’s a lot. So I’m good.”
There will at all times be a highlight on Simmons, his minutes and his manufacturing, due to his contract.
Simmons is due a complete of $35.4M this season. He is beneath contract for 2 extra seasons following this one and is on the hook for $37.9M subsequent season, plus one other $40M in 2025.
His on-court manufacturing doesn’t replicate the wage. Simmons is averaging 7.2 factors, 6.4 rebounds and 6.3 assists per recreation. He performed simply 16 minutes in Brooklyn’s loss to the 76ers on Saturday and tallied simply 4 factors, three assists and three rebounds in opposition to his former crew.
Once considered because the crew’s solely true defensive stopper, Simmons is now one in all many succesful defenders. It’s one of many causes he’s been moved to the bench: The different defenders can shoot threes, make free throws and are comfy trying to attain.
Mikal Bridges and Cam Johnson now begin on the wings, whereas Spencer Dinwiddie begins on the level and Dorian Finney-Smith begins on the 4. Bridges has barely been in Brooklyn lengthy sufficient to face in line for a cup of espresso, however he has already begun regurgitating the “play as hard as you can, as many minutes as you can” ethos head coach Jacque Vaughn has instilled in his crew.
“I feel like everyone has that mentality of whatever minutes they’re gonna play, they’re gonna go hard. I haven’t seen nobody complain,” Bridges mentioned after Monday’s shootaround. “I think everybody just has that mindset of winning. I know everybody wants to be out there, play the whole time. That’s just how the league is, but we got a lot of players, a lot of depth, so everybody seems cool and everybody stays ready. That’s the biggest thing.”
“Just everybody staying ready for when their numbers called,” Dinwiddie added. “Obviously, it’s gonna be a little adjustment period in these first couple of games and probably the first couple of weeks. We’re gonna play it by ear.”
Simmons needs to be on the ground. He needs to assist his crew in methods he can’t when he’s on the bench cheering from the sidelines. The fact of the matter is the Nets now have a number of defenders and want to search out offense, an space Simmons doesn’t affect exterior of playmaking for shooters and cutters as a result of he hardly ever appears to be like to attain the ball and is restricted to scoring at and across the rim.
Simmons doesn’t know if he’ll be within the crew’s fourth-quarter or closing rotations.
“I think it’s a little frustrating trying to find some rhythm and consistency, but that’s what it is at this point right now,” he mentioned. “Guys have been in and out due to injuries, trades, so there’s been a lot of different things that play factors into it. Hopefully now we get a little bit of a stretch where we can find some rhythm and consistency.”
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Source: www.bostonherald.com