The final time Ben Simmons performed towards the Indiana Pacers, he had but to attain in double figures on the season.
Fast ahead to Friday’s post-Thanksgiving matchup, and Simmons — who has night-and-day improved in all areas of his sport by turning a nook in each his again and knee points — has scored 11 or extra in six straight video games.
He is inching nearer and nearer to changing into the participant the Nets envisioned after they traded James Harden: Simmons is dogged defensively, aggressive in attending to the rim, taking part in with tempo, discovering teammates and on the lookout for his personal shot.
And but the Nets are nonetheless dropping to the groups they’re presupposed to be dispatching handily.
They misplaced to the Pacers then, and misplaced to them once more on Friday, 128-117, in a sport the place Indiana’s youthful exuberance and run-and-gun offensive type made all of the distinction.
It’s the fourth sport in latest reminiscence the Nets misplaced the place they have been closely favored: Nov. 13 towards the Los Angeles Lakers with out LeBron James; the 32-point loss to the Sacramento Kings; the embarrassing loss to the Philadelphia 76ers with out Joel Embiid, James Harden and Tyrese Maxey.
And now this: a second loss to an admittedly younger and enjoyable Indiana Pacers group.
The first loss to the Pacers — amongst different causes — received Steve Nash fired.
The Nets are out of figureheads accountable except you’re pointing at common supervisor Sean Marks for establishing this roster. Even if the roster isn’t good, it’s nonetheless gifted and needs to be faring higher towards lesser opponents.
One factor’s for positive: The Pacers are definitely higher than marketed.
What was as soon as thought-about to be a group positioning itself for the Victor Wembanyama sweepstakes has discovered it’s personal Big Three.
Tyrese Haliburton, who arrived in Indiana within the Domantas Sabonis commerce, is the franchise cornerstone. Benedict Mathurin is likely to be forward of No. 1 total choose Paolo Banchero within the Rookie of the Year race; and Buddy Hield, who has been thought-about commerce bait since arriving to Indiana, is flammable. When he catches fireplace, he stays scorching.
The final time the Nets performed the Pacers, Kevin Durant known as them every $100M gamers.
But the Nets have three gamers who’ve signed max contracts in Durant, Simmons and Kyrie Irving. They even have championship aspirations. It’s presupposed to be a no-contest.
It was something however.
The Nets struggled to search out offense within the fourth quarter exterior of Durant, who was the one participant to file a subject purpose within the last interval. He scored 20 straight factors within the fourth and completed with 36 factors on 15-of-31 taking pictures.
Simmons completed with 20 factors on 8-of-8 taking pictures, and Irving received scorching early, scoring 20 factors on 8-of-17 taking pictures from the sphere.
It wasn’t sufficient towards the Pacers, and it received’t be sufficient towards groups higher than the Pacers.
That is troubling for the Nets, although it could be too early into the season to say the group is in bother.
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Source: www.bostonherald.com