Amid a struggling season, the Brooklyn Nets might have positive news. The star-studded team went all over the place after the exit of Kyrie Irving and Kevin Durant. Following their exit, fans kept their trust in the Australian baller, Ben Simmons. But, he couldn’t live up to the expectation as he constantly struggled with injuries and missed over 50 games for the Nets since his trade in 2022. However, he dropped a positive statement following tonight’s game against the Dallas Mavericks.
Evan Barnes, a reporter, took to his X handle and shared Simmons’ statement following the game. Barnes quoted Simmons: “I think I’m more useful starting than coming off the bench.”
Ben Simmons says he feels ready to start. "I think I'm more useful starting than coming off the bench"
Today was a good run to see how his minutes restriction matches up with the starters. We'll see Thursday
— Evan Barnes (@evan_b) February 7, 2024
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Ben Simmons played his 3rd game tonight after his three-month-long recovery from a back injury. On November 6, 2023, he played his last game before taking a long break to recover from a pinched nerve in the lower back. He missed 38 games in a row until he made his return on January 30 against the Utah Jazz.
He came off the bench and stayed on the court for 18 minutes. In his short stay, he dropped impressive stats with 10 points along with 11 assists and 8 rebounds. Simmons missed the following game, and played 14 minutes against Philadelphia 76ers and failed to drop a single bucket, but recorded 9 rebounds and 5 assists.
Following his two short stays, he played for 20 minutes tonight against the Mavs, dropping 9 points with 9 rebounds and 7 assists, along with a steal. Even though his team ended the game on the losing side, the star has instilled confidence in the Nets Nation, eyeing the starting line-up.
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Let’s walk down the lane when Simmons got traded to the Nets.
Ben Simmons after joining the Nets
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The No.1 pick of the 2016 NBA Draft put up a decent show at the Sixers camp. He averaged around 15 points in his four-season-long stay. After that, he moved to the Brooklyn Nets after a sudden trade to replace James Harden.
In his first season with the Nets, he played 42 games, averaging only 6.9 points. He constantly struggled with back injuries and couldn’t contribute much to the team. Moreover, fans trolled the star for his reluctance to shoot the ball.
However, the star could turn it around in his upcoming games for the Nets. Currently, the Nets are in the 11th seed and Simmons could help the team secure a fixed spot in the playoffs.
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What do you make of Ben Simmons’ statement after tonight’s game? Let us know in the comments below.