Forget getting rid of the early season rust, Ben Simmons is looking like the old Ben Simmons again.
The Australian was at his best in the Brooklyn Nets’ 117-128 road loss against the Indiana Pacers on Saturday (all time AEDT), playing more aggressively and in transition.
Constantly cutting back and attacking the basket, Simmons was a big presence around the rim, including converting a one-and-one in the second quarter.
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Saturday, November 26
Saturday November 26
He finished with 20 points on a perfect 8-for-8 shooting, including 4-for-5 from the free-throw line to finish with six rebounds, three assists and a block in 33 minutes in another strong showing even as the Nets they fell short
“He’s a different guy,” noted YES Network’s Ian Eagle at halftime, before adding that he “looks so comfortable on the offensive end” and calling his improved play a “metamorphosis.”
Simmons had 12 points in the first half, including an impressive hook shot in the final two minutes of the second period.
And he showed no signs of slowing down in a brilliant third term, getting into the paint at will and maintaining great touch at the rim, with the Eagle calling him “unguardable,” before foul trouble the they sidelined for much of the quarter as Indiana. gathered at home
A true offensive threat again and hitting his usual spots inside, this version of Simmons is unrecognizable from the player who struggled so much in his return to the court earlier in the season.
“He’s talked about that — the health and the feeling of his body and how he looks physically,” YES Network’s Sarah Kustok said of Simmons.
“Just that attack mentality, that’s what you want to see. A lot of how Simmons is playing is him not overthinking it. Just playing and reacting, the instinctive nature, like he’s playing hard.
“What we saw when he was in his prime with the 76ers was that. He was a force and always looking to push the tempo and be on offense. That’s exactly how he’s been playing.
“Those are all the things when Ben first came to Brooklyn, why he fit in with the players in this group.
“You’re starting to see how to thrive and you’re starting to see players playing with each other, the nuances and wrinkles and understanding where guys want the basketball.
“I think now there is a great understanding with different players.”
Indiana came up short in the second half as Buddy Hield and Bennedict Mathurin warmed up.
Mathurin scored 16 of his 20 points in the quarter to lead the Pacers, with his quick layup while drawing a foul put the hosts up 103-98 with 7:41 left.
Kevin Durant responded at the other end, scoring nine points in a minute to put the Nets up 107-110 with 5:34 left.
It came when Simmons picked up his fifth foul with 5:48 left as Jacque Vaughn pulled him from the game.
But Indiana came right back with a 7-0 run to push its lead back to 119-109 as the game slipped away from Brooklyn.
The game was stopped late after Nic Claxton intentionally bumped Tyrese Haliburton with 3:38 left in the game after blocking him, prompting the officials to review the play and call him a flagrant foul on the first down.
The Nets would struggle to get back into the game over the remaining three minutes as Indiana picked up its sixth win of its last seven to improve to 11-7.
Durant contributed 36 points for the Nets, who fell to 9-11, with nine rebounds and eight assists.
Hield (26 points, five 3-pointers), Haliburton (21 points, 15 assists, four steals) and Myles Turner (23 points, eight rebounds, two blocks) were busy for Indiana.