Ben’s first triple-double in TWO years moves him up record books in Nets loss

Ben Simmons recorded his first triple-double for the Brooklyn Nets regardless of the staff falling to the San Antonio Spurs on the street on Wednesday 106-98 (all instances AEDT).

Simmons completed with a particularly well-rounded line with 10 factors, 10 rebounds and 11 assists to go together with 4 steals and two blocks in 34 minutes – considered one of three Nets gamers to complete with a optimistic plus-minus – capturing 4-of-10 from the sector and 2-of-2 from the free throw lime.

It additionally marked the Aussie’s first triple-double because the 2nd of June 2021 whereas a member of the Philadelphia 76ers and moved him into equal twelfth all-time in NBA historical past.

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The Nets performed with out each Kevin Durant and Kyrie Irving — although it was a brief stint with out Simmons that did them in as they misplaced to the woebegone Spurs earlier than a crowd of 13,532 at AT&T Center.

Keldon Johnson, who poured in a game-high 36 factors, lit up the Nets (27-16), who’re 0-3 since Durant went down with a sprained proper MCL on Jan. 8. Irving was dominated out shortly earlier than tip-off with a sore proper calf.

That left Simmons because the final man standing from their All-Star Big 3. A 3rd-quarter dry spell throughout which Simmons was on the bench with foul hassle proved an excessive amount of to deal with.

T.J. Warren scored 19 factors off the bench to steer the Nets. Seth Curry began instead of Irving and scored a modest 16 factors, with Nic Claxton and Cam Thomas every some extent behind.

But when Simmons picked up his fourth foul with the rating knotted at 58-all with 7:47 left within the third, the Spurs promptly went on a 6-0 run.

He didn’t return for the remainder of the interval because the run reached 18-10. The Nets trailed 76-68 getting into the fourth quarter, they usually by no means acquired nearer than 4 the remainder of the night time.

That towards sorry San Antonio (14-31), which has put up as a lot defensive resistance this season as moist tissue — one-ply. It was a horrible method to tip off a five-game street swing as may very well be imagined.

While Durant isn’t anticipated to even be re-evaluated till early subsequent week, the Nets anticipate to have Irving again for his or her recreation Friday at Phoenix.

“He just reported a little tightness. So essentially just day-to-day. We’ll get some treatment, check on it (Thursday) and hopefully this is short term,” Nets coach Jacque Vaughn stated of Irving, who didn’t have an MRI examination and needs to be able to face the Suns. “Yeah, hope so. That’s definitely the hope, that after a day, get some treatment, hopefully be ready to go against Phoenix, yeah.”

After the Nets acquired on the board first on a Simmons hook, they allowed 10 unanswered factors, capped by a Jeremy Cochan three-point play. They trailed 27-15 after a wretched first quarter.

The Nets confronted 4 completely different 14-point deficits, the final after a operating layup by Tre Jones made it 31-17 Spurs with 9:56 left within the half.

The Nets then briefly settled in and at last acquired their offence in gear towards one of many league’s worst defensive groups. They reeled off 10 unanswered factors led by their bench, the mid-range recreation of Warren and tempo of Edmond Sumner. Warren capped the spurt with a 16-foot pull-up off a Simmons help, pulling the Nets inside 31-27.

The deficit was nonetheless 42-38 after a Jeremy Sochan free throw. He had been fouled by Markieff Morris, from whom he needed to be separated moments earlier. But the Nets mounted an 11-2 run to surge forward.

Thomas’ driving finger roll put them up 49-44 with 2:55 left within the half, and the rating was knotted 51-51 headed into the locker room.

It was nonetheless tied, at 58-58, when Simmons went to the bench together with his fourth foul. That’s when the Spurs scored six unanswered factors and the Nets by no means acquired nearer than 82-78, on a Curry 3-pointer, the remainder of the night.

-This article as first revealed in The New York Post and reproduced with permission