‘A different guy’: Simmons ‘unguardable’ as epic ‘metamorphosis’ stuns NBA
Forget shaking off the early season rust, Ben Simmons is trying just like the previous Ben Simmons once more.
The Aussie was at his greatest within the Brooklyn Nets’ 117-128 street loss the Indiana Pacers on Saturday (all occasions AEDT), taking part in extra aggressively offensively and in transition.
Consistently slicing and attacking the basket, Simmons had nice presence across the rim together with changing an and-one play within the second quarter.
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He completed with 20 factors on an ideal 8-of-8 capturing together with 4-of-5 from the free throw line to go along with six rebounds, three assists and a block in 33 minutes in one other nice show regardless of the Nets developing quick.
“He’s a different guy,” YES Network’s Ian Eagle famous within the first half, earlier than latter including he “looks so comfortable on the offensive end” and calling his improved play a “metamorphosis.”
Simmons racked up 12 factors within the first half together with making a powerful hook shot inside the ultimate two minutes of the second time period.
And he confirmed no indicators of slowing down in a superb third time period, entering into the paint at will and sustaining nice contact on the rim, with Eagle calling him “unguardable,” earlier than foul hassle sidelined him for an enormous a part of the fourth as Indiana rallied dwelling.
A real offensive risk once more and attending to his regular spots inside, this model of Simmons is unrecognisable from the participant who struggled so badly in his return to the courtroom early within the season.
“He has talked about it – the health and feel of his body and how he physically looks,” YES Network’s Sarah Kustok mentioned of Simmons.
“Just that attack mindedness, that’s what you want to see. So much of how Simmons is playing is just him not overthinking. Just playing and reacting, the instinctual nature, like he’s playing with the force.
“What we saw when he was at his best with the 76ers was that. He was a force and he would always look to push the tempo and be on the attack. That’s exactly how he’s been playing.
“These are all the things when Ben first came to Brooklyn, why he would fit along the players of that group.
“You’re starting to see that flourish and you’re starting to see players play with one another, the nuances and wrinkles and understanding where guys want the basketball.
“I think there’s such a great understanding now with different players.”
Indiana got here with a rush within the second half as Buddy Hield and Bennedict Mathurin received sizzling.
Mathurin scored 16 of his 20 factors within the fourth to surge the Pacers forward, together with his fastbreak layup whereas getting fouled placing the hosts up 103-98 with 7:41 left.
Kevin Durant responded on the different finish although, scoring 9 factors over a minute interval to get the Nets inside 107-110 with 5:34 remaining.
It got here as Simmons picked up his fifth foul with 5:48 left as Jacque Vaughn pulled him from the sport.
But Indiana got here proper again with a 7-0 run to push its lead again out to 119-109 as the sport was getting away from Brooklyn.
Play was stopped late after Nic Claxton intentionally ran into Tyrese Haliburton with 3:38 left within the recreation after blocking him, prompting the officers to evaluate the play and provides the previous a flagrant foul.
The Nets would wrestle to get again into the sport for the remaining three minutes as Indiana coasted to its sixth win from its final seven to enhance to 11-7.
Durant poured in 36 factors for the Nets, who fell to Sept. 11, with 9 rebounds and eight assists.
Hield (26 factors, 5 triples), Haliburton (21 factors, 15 assists, 4 steals) and Myles Turner (23 factors, eight rebounds, two blocks) have been all busy for Indiana.
