Brooklyn Nets guard Ben Simmons had quite the performance (in more ways than one) in Thursday’s 109-98 loss to the Boston Celtics. He did have nine rebounds, 13 assists, two steals, and one block, but he also had zero points on three shots.
It was clear that Simmons was able to do whatever he wanted to do as long as it didn’t involve scoring the ball. However, this has been a constant theme with Simmons when it comes to him either not shooting, not scoring enough points, or both. With the game being nationally televised on TNT, Simmons was on a stage where more people can see what he’s doing other than those living in the NYC area.
With the way that the Nets’ offense faltered in the fourth quarter, it was even more glaring that Simmons wasn’t shooting the ball. This is what Charles Barkley had to say about Simmons’ lack of shooting/scoring:
“Reggie (Miller) said it during the game. His (Simmons) numbers should go up without Kevin Durant. He’s the second-best player on the team. He can’t not score. That’s hard to do Ernie (Johnson).”
Here’s what Shaquille O’Neal had to say about Simmons’ performance in the loss:
“When you’re touted as a great player, you have to do it all. Yes, he had the assists and the rebounds, but, you have the ability to score, we need you to be aggressive. He’s not even looking at the basket.”
Simmons’ next chance to show what he can do with his scoring will be on Sunday as his Nets host the Oklahoma City Thunder.
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