As soon as the basketball left Charlotte guard LaMelo Ball’s hands on a 3-point attempt, Brooklyn’s Ben Simmons pointed toward the Nets’ basket 90 feet away and instructed Spencer Dinwiddie to take off. Simmons grabbed the rebound and threw a one-handed touchdown pass to Dinwiddie for an easy layup.
It was one of Simmons’ 10 rebounds and eight assists in the Nets’ victory against the Hornets amid his impressive start to the season.
It’s early in a long NBA season, but it’s a start that indicates Simmons is returning to the player who was an All-Star in 2019, 2020 and 2021 and All-NBA in 2019-20.
In the right situation surrounded by the right players with the right coach who prefers a style that accentuates Simmons’ skills, the veteran can be a productive player when healthy (he missed all of 2021-22 and wasn’t 100% last season with back issues).
Through Brooklyn’s 2-2 start that includes a road victory against Miami, Simmons averages 7.3 points and team highs in rebounds at 10.3 and assists at 7.5. He also averages 1.3 blocks and is shooting 56% from the field on limited attempts.
He is running an offense that wants to push the pace and has shooters.
“The past 24 months, not really having the ability to get on the court, it gave people a reason to pile on, and it gave them ammunition,’ his agent, Bernie Lee, told USA TODAY Sports. ‘He wasn’t physically ready to play and was under so much pressure to make an attempt to do it, and buying into a narrative with his competitive nature, he wanted to get back on court and quiet detractors.
“Having the ability to take a step back and have more time to complete rehab for his back has been cathartic and he has invested in the work. He has taken perspective (of) his own place in life, his career and with this team.”
Simmons can push the ball, play fast
Nets coach Jacques Vaughn wants to play with tempo and pace and find quality shots early in the offense before the defense has a chance to set up. That can be done off turnovers, missed shots and even made shots. Get the ball and go. The Nets are ninth in pace.
“To impose our will with our pace, it’s definitely how we’re built to play,” Vaughn said. “Now, it takes an extreme amount of commitment on a nightly basis to play this way.”
This suits Simmons. He can find open shooters, and the Nets have them. They are fifth in 3-pointers made at 14.5 per game, No. 2 in 3-point shooting percentage at .417 and No. 1 in fast-break points at 24.0. The Nets have seven players shooting at least 36.4% on 3s, including six at 44.4% or better. That may not hold up all season, but Mikal Bridges should lift his 31.6% shooting percentage on 3s, too.
Simmons’ rebounding leads to offense
Simmons’ rebounding is a bonus for any team looking to push the ball. At 6-11, he has demonstrated his ability to collect missed shots. But now, he is averaging 1½ rebounds higher than his career best (8.8 per game in 2018-19) and 2½ better than his career average (7.9).
He gets his team into fast break and transition opportunities easily and quickly, and the Nets are emphasizing and encouraging that.
Simmons excels with passing, assists
He came into the league a gifted passer and remains one. He can make the extravagant pass or the simple one, and several of his assists this season have been finding an open shooter before the defense has a chance to set up. He is also delivering easy dump-off passes while setting a screen near the 3-point line.
Shooters are getting to their spots at the 3-point line, and he is finding them. His 7.5 assists are leading to 20 points per game, and he’s creating 12.5 assist opportunities per game.
In transition, Simmons puts pressure on defenses with his willingness to attack the rim. He still draws two defenders in those situations, leaving a teammate open.
Can Simmons provide just enough scoring?
Simmons is not going to shoot a lot, especially from outside the three-second lane. He hasn’t attempted a 3-pointer, and all but one of his 25 attempts have been inside the paint. Most have been inside the restricted area. He’s not a high volume shooter or scorer, and he doesn’t need to be on this team. His length, strength and athleticism allow him to get to the rim. The Nets are seventh in points per game (118.8) and sixth in offensive efficiency (115.6 points per 100 possessions). They don’t need him to score 15-20 points per game. The Nets have players to do that. They need him around that 10 points per game, with those rebounding and assists numbers.
Follow NBA reporter Jeff Zillgitt on X @JeffZillgitt