Oct 18, 2023; Miami, Florida, USA; Brooklyn Nets guard Ben Simmons (10) reacts to a call against the Miami Heat during the second half at Kaseya Center. Mandatory Credit: Rich Storry-USA TODAY Sports
NBA: Preseason-Brooklyn Nets at Miami Heat
BROOKLYN — Ben Simmons had an unusual night in the Nets’ season opener.
The 27-year-old stuffed the stat sheet in 23 minutes, finishing with 10 rebounds, a game-high nine assists, four points and a block.
His reward? Being benched when it mattered most.
Simmons played just 1:53 in the fourth quarter, watching his Nets blow a late lead and losing 114-113 to the Cavaliers.
Backup point guard Dennis Smith Jr. played much of the fourth in place of Simmons.
“Its not easy to win in the NBA. There’s not a guarantee of winning every night so you got to earn it,” Simmons said. “We had too many turnovers. I think it just came down to details of the game. Just small plays that we needed that ended up being a huge plays for us. Stops, rebounds and buckets.”
The former #1 overall picks health issues are well-documented – he’s played just 42 games over the past two seasons thanks to nagging back injuries.
Asked if he was on a minutes limit Wednesday, he said he wasn’t. Asked if he was pulled due to game flow, he replied “You gotta ask coach. I don’t know.”
“Overall he was a part of that stretch that really got us back in the game,” Nets head coach Jacque Vaughn said. “It was the physicality which he played with that kind of permeated through the group.
“I think he has that ability to do that. So looking forward to him getting to 100 percent, playing minutes for us, being disruptive for us, but I think you felt him when he was out there on the floor.”
Up next for the Nets? Kyrie Irving and the Dallas Mavericks on Friday night.
