Point guard Ben Simmons returned to the lineup and reminded the world that he is the straw that stirs the drink, coming off the bench to lead the Brooklyn Nets to a 147-114 romp over the Utah Jazz at Barclays Center on Monday night.
The Nets had eight double-digit scorers for the game, led by forward Mikal Bridges' 33 points and guard Cam Thomas’ 25 points. Both players shot 50% from the field and Thomas went 4-5 on 3-point attempts. The high shooting efficiency was sparked by Simmons, who registered a plus 27 on the floor in a little over 18 minutes of total game action.
Simmons checked in at the 6:27 mark of the first quarter with the Nets leading 16-14 and immediately led his team to a 20-6 run. He had instant impact on all levels, assisting on 6 shots, including a no-look dime for a layup by forward Royce O’Neal, with 4 of the assists coming on 3-pointers.
Simmons also set effective ball screens, grabbed two rebounds, and defended the ball at a high level, helping the Nets lead 43-28 at the end of the 1st quarter.
The point guard was the key that unlocked the Nets on offense and defense, where his length, court vision, and unselfish play created open looks for teammates and helped to extend ball pressure out to the perimeter.
The oft-injured point guard fell just short of a triple-double in a little over 18 minutes of court time, ringing up 10 points, 11 assists, and 8 rebounds. He went 5-5 on shot attempts, with all shots coming within 5 feet of the rim.
The Nets had 28 fast break points against the Jazz, nearly double their season average, helped by Simmons who pushed the pace of the game to score baskets before the Jazz could set up defense.
Based on his injury, the likelihood of Simmons staying on the floor for an extended time is slim, placing the Nets in the precarious position of tumbling down the Eastern Conference standings ahead of the draft lottery.
The tantalizing sight of the Nets getting easy buckets and the renewed joy from the free-flowing offense was so evident that it even made the often-sullen guard Spencer Dinwiddie smile.
Dinwiddie has had his minutes eaten by guard Dennis Smith Jr., particularly in crunch time, with has resulted in his name bandied about in trade rumors. He has looked disconnected and unhappy, which bubbled over at the end of the 2nd quarter when Dinwiddie vociferously explained to the referees that he was not geeting any foul calls.
The Nets grabbed 50 rebounds for the game, up slightly from their season average of 45.6, helped by Simmons, who grabbed five offensive rebounds. This gave the the team second-chance scoring opportunities, which they capitalized by scoring 27 second-chance points.
Next up for the Nets are the Phoenix Suns who visit the Barclays Center on Wednesday, January 31.
