Sixers coach Nick Nurse gives respect to Nets guard Ben Simmons
NEW YORK–Brooklyn Nets guard Ben Simmons has had a rough go at it since the 2021 playoffs. He didn’t play at all in the 2021-22 season after requesting a trade from the Philadelphia 76ers and then dealing with back issues after getting traded to the Nets at the 2022 deadline.
He then played in only 42 games in the 2022-23 season due to a variety of injuries and averaged only 6.9 points, 6.3 rebounds, and 6.1 assists which are all well below his career averages. The 3-time All-Star and 2018 Rookie of the Year is looking to get back on track.
Now healthy, he has had some terrific moments in the preseason and his play has caught the eye of others around the league.
“He looks very good,” said Sixers coach Nick Nurse before Monday’s preseason win over the Nets. “He looks in shape, he looks confident, and pretty aggressive and it looks like they’ve got a package of stuff in for him so he looks like he’s ready to go.”
Simmons then had eight points, nine assists, six rebounds, and three steals on Monday. He also had eight turnovers as there were some familiar issues in his game that have drawn criticism in the past. He had some opportunities to attack the basket, but instead of going with force, he faded away from the defender and took a hook shot.
He was defended mostly by Tobias Harris who deserves a lot of credit for standing up to the physicality and speed that Simmons played with on Monday in order to force him into tough shots.
“They were going at it pretty physically,” Nurse added after the game. “I think Ben looks good out there. He’s in shape and he’s healthy, but I think Tobias did a good job of standing in there, too, and just standing up to the physicality and I thought Tobias played really well.”
Simmons may never be the superstar he was projected to be when he was selected by the Sixers with the No. 1 pick in 2016, but the signs he has shown in the preseason look like he is headed back in the right direction.
