Proof Ben’s Brooklyn nightmare is finally ending… but one big test could change everything

Is Ben Simmons again?

The Aussie broke out of his early season droop together with his greatest recreation but for Brooklyn Nets of their win over the Memphis Grizzlies on Monday (all occasions AEDT).

Starting at centre instead of Nic Claxton (private causes), Simmons racked up a season-high 22 factors to go together with eight rebounds and 5 assists in a recreation excessive +19 in 34 minutes.

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It marked essentially the most factors Simmons has scored in an everyday season recreation since March twenty third, 2021.

He’s now tied two robust performances collectively after bouncing again towards Portland on Friday with 15 factors, 13 rebounds and 7 assists whereas importantly making 3-of-4 free throws down the stretch.

And his current resurgence is getting pundits within the United States excited.

“What we get a chance to see was him going downhill. It was huge, he didn’t have to think,” former NBA participant Steve Smith stated on NBA GameTime.

“What I like about Ben Simmons is he understands how to play and has a great feel for the game.

“But if your confidence is rattled – I don’t care how great you are – I think that’s what happened for him … he just got a chance to play basketball.

“Once he’s playing and he’s in a groove and he doesn’t feel like the spotlight is all on him, then he doesn’t care if he gets fouled and goes to the free throw line or is shooting a jump shot.

“He’s last three or four games he’s looked much better.”

Up till his current uptick in type, Simmons has regarded a shadow of his former self in his return to the court docket after sitting out all of final season following a commerce standoff with the Philadelphia 76ers earlier than getting sidelined with a again harm.

A knee difficulty has additionally hampered the 6-foot-10 participant this season in addition to getting in foul hassle because the Nets stumbled out of the gates, resulting in the sacking of Steve Nash.

New Brooklyn coach Jacque Vaughn has since moved Simmons to the bench to play as a backup 5, and the workforce as a complete has turned issues round, with six wins from its final video games to enhance to 8-9 general.

For Fox Sports US’ Chris Broussard, the previous Pick 1 is beginning to present indicators at each ends of the ground he can get again to his earlier greatest type.

“Ben Simmons is looking like he can be Philly Ben,” Broussard stated on First Things First.

“(Against Portland) he was a great playmaker, pushed the ball in transition and played good defence – he did a really good job on Damian Lillard.

“His problem with the fouls is partially he’s having to foul big guys because they don’t have any girth in Brooklyn.

“He was aggressive … there’s a reason Ben wasn’t playing well. He may have a few ups and downs over the next few weeks.

“But I do think he can get back to being Philadelphia Ben Simmons.”

NBA analyst Skip Bayless in the meantime believes Simmons stepping as much as the free throw line late towards Portland – an space of his recreation that has beforehand let him down – was promising.

“I couldn’t quit watching this game because I couldn’t quit watching Ben Simmons … what was most impressive to me was what he did when they went hack-a-Ben,” Bayless stated on Undisputed.

“The four free throws he shot came fairly late in the game, so he’s being played by Jaque Vaughn down the stretch. They all looked pretty good to me and they all looked like he wasn’t afraid of the moment, the way he’s looked before.”

Simmons first gave a glimmer final week towards Sacramento, ending with 11 factors 5 rebounds and three assists off the bench in simply 20 minutes, whereas bettering on every efficiency since.

The development is clearly transferring in the appropriate route, nonetheless over the season, he’s nonetheless averaging profession lows throughout the board (7.9 factors, 6.8 rebounds and 5.7 assists per recreation).

It’s not the manufacturing the Nets would’ve hoped for because the centre piece coming again within the commerce for James Harden, whereas Simmons can also be Brooklyn’s third highest paid participant at $35 million this season.

But if he can sustain his present degree play – and earn a everlasting promotion again into the beginning line-up – it’d go a great distance in serving to push the Nets to a better degree.

“When they traded James Harden and got Ben Simmons back, the hope was Ben Simmons was going to be the Ben Simmons of old prior to the Atlanta series (against Philadelphia in 2021),” Locked on Nets’ Doug Norrie stated.

“The Ben Simmons that was a an All-NBA guy and a Defensive Player of the Year candidate.

“Frankly, to start the season, we hadn’t seen it … but these last three games have begun to show the version of Simmons they thought they were trading for.

“If you start extrapolating out the rest of the season about what things can turn into for this team, it’s this version of Simmons that has you start to get excited.

“Simmons is the key to all of this. If this is going to be the version of we get now, then the Nets have a ceiling they can go to. There’s another level the Nets can go to, if this is what he’s game is going to be.”

There’s one essential check forward for Simmons although – a matchup towards the Sixers on Wednesday that’s positive to have some further feeling in it.

Simmons himself admitted forward of the Philadelphia showdown ‘I know what’s coming’, having already copped a hostile response from his previous fan base when he returned there for the primary time after the commerce whereas sidelined for the Nets.

Another robust efficiency from the Aussie would do wonders for his confidence.

“They are waiting for this man and they are going to heckle him and spew a level of vitriol unlike anything he has seen in his career,” ESPN’s Stephen A. Smith stated on First Take.

“But I will say this, I’m very pleased with what I’ve seen from Ben Simmons the last two games. If Ben Simmons shows up and has a decent game in Philadelphia, I think that’s going to be the real turning point.

“If he gets through that by playing reasonably well, I think he is going to be on a path that’s much better for him.

“KD and Kyrie are going to be ready to help out Ben Simmons, but if Ben Simmons shows up and does his thing, I think that’s going to go a long way with his progress going forward.”

It’ll come towards an undermanned Sixers aspect lacking each Harden and Joel Embiid attributable to harm, with the absence of the latter to make it a a lot much less spicier showdown given his pressure with Simmons.

Heck, with Simmons now taking part in extra at centre, he probably would’ve even been matched up on Embiid at occasions.

Either manner, it nonetheless looms as an important recreation for the Simmons he undoubtably would’ve been eyeing for a while.

“He’s been back in Philadelphia as a member of the Brooklyn Nets, but he sat on the bench for that game and they were heckling him. It’s going to be a lot different when you’re playing,” ESPN’s Frank Iosola stated on the YES Network.

“But I think going in playing the best game he’s played since the playoffs two seasons ago – not only does Ben Simmons go in with a better mental frame of mind – but his game is close to what it was a couple of years ago with Philadelphia.”