As followers slowly filed out of the Barclays Heart after the Nets’ second consecutive preseason blowout loss to an Japanese Convention playoff opponent — this time a 109-80 defeat to the Miami Warmth after Monday’s 19-point thumping from the shorthanded Philadelphia 76ers — the in-arena DJ performed an all-too acquainted tune.
“Don’t fear. Be completely satisfied.”
It’s simple to fret after Thursday’s poor efficiency, a sport two-time NBA Finals MVP Kevin Durant stated he “didn’t like something” about besides the crew leaving with no injured gamers. Poor protection and offensive miscues apart, Ben Simmons’ unwillingness to assault the basket underscored the Nets’ lack of ability to deal with the basketball or generate high quality offense in opposition to one of many NBA’s premier defenses.
Particularly in a sport each Kyrie Irving (paternity go away) and Joe Harris (sore ankle) watched from the sidelines.
Simmons, nevertheless, stated there are some issues he isn’t but snug doing — like “attending to the rim, getting hit and hitting” different gamers — as a result of he’s just a few months faraway from offseason again surgical procedure. He's assured, and so are his teammates and his head coach, a few return to a extra aggressive model of himself as he shakes off the rust related to 480 days away from NBA basketball and works to get into a greater place after getting a microdiscectomy to alleviate the ache stemming from the herniated disk he suffered after the commerce to Brooklyn.
“It’s been a yr,” Simmons stated after posting 4 factors, 4 assists and 10 rebounds to go along with six turnovers on the night time. “I’m coming again. Give me a while.”
Nonetheless, there have been some performs that raised eyebrows greater than others.
Simmons, for instance, had a 10-inch peak benefit on Warmth guard Kyle Lowry and had the mismatch with a one-on-one on the excessive submit. As an alternative of seeking to energy to the rim in opposition to the smaller opponent, he threw the ball again out to Durant on the perimeter.
When Durant instantly gave the ball again to Simmons — an indication for Simmons to reap the benefits of the mismatch and get to the rim — Simmons took one dribble in the direction of the paint and shoveled a move to Royce O’Neale on the alternative wing.
O’Neale, a succesful marksman, missed the frivolously contested three.
Then there have been the back-to-back turnovers with simply over two minutes to go within the first quarter.
Reserve lead guard Edmond Sumner threw an entry move to Simmons, who posted up Warmth All-Star Jimmy Butler on the baseline. Sumner then lower alongside the baseline behind Simmons to the rim, and Simmons floated a move over his head below the basket.
The move was tipped away and intercepted, resulting in a Miami quick break.
On the very subsequent possession, Simmons superior the ball up the ground in opposition to second-year two-way signing Marcus Garrett. Markieff Morris screened Garrett on the three-point line and Simmons pushed inside two ft of the foul line.
After which he flung a move to O’Neale within the left wing. This time, Garrett was in place and made a play to get possession of the ball.
A few of Simmons’ passes have been predictable as a result of Simmons didn’t — and doesn’t — look to attain typically. Durant stated the crew “undoubtedly” needs Simmons “to be extra aggressive and look to attain, particularly if he’s received a small wing within the submit,” and when he “has a bonus going downhill in transition.”
However he additionally is aware of how lengthy of a layoff it’s been for Simmons and that Thursday solely marked his second sport again.
“I believe he’s simply discovering his rhythm once more. He hasn’t performed in a very long time, and to throw you again up in there with the sport going quick?” Durant stated. “You'll be able to play pickup all you need, however as soon as you set somebody within the sport, all that stuff goes out the window.
“So, he’s getting his legs, (a) fast transfer right here and he’s figuring it out. It’s solely going to get higher from right here.”
Simmons admitted there must be extra of a steadiness for when he appears to set his teammates up for pictures versus when he appears to attain on his personal.
“Trying on the field rating, I took three pictures, which is certainly not sufficient,” he stated. “Clearly offensively, I need to get to the submit extra, get some extra touches down low, be extra aggressive, get to the rim, get to the free throw line, which I didn’t do tonight.”
Nets head coach Steve Nash stated he expects Simmons to develop in his aggression placing strain on the rim. He additionally, rightfully, famous Irving and Harris’ absences put extra strain on Simmons to create by taking two ground spacers off the courtroom.
“He’s gonna get extra makes an attempt. Proper now clearly it’s a bit clunky for us,” Nash stated. “Ben will probably be high quality. He’ll enhance, he’s gonna get higher each night time, and he’s gonna be an engine for us and an enormous a part of what we do. So I’m probably not apprehensive about him, however it's a course of.
“He hasn’t performed for a very long time and he’s additionally assimilating to a brand new group. That takes time, it’s not gonna be excellent, and it most likely gained’t be any time quickly. But when we are able to hold enhancing every single day that’s all we ask for.”
Two preseason video games isn’t full trigger to be apprehensive, however the Nets — aside from glimpses of unrealized potential — haven’t given followers a lot to be completely satisfied about, both.
Durant completed with 22 factors on 8-of-12 taking pictures from the ground however confirmed some frustration when he by chance threw the ball away trying to get the ball to O’Neale, kicking off a Warmth quick break and placing them on the road.
Nash warned issues would look ugly early because the Nets regulate to each new rotations and new schemes, and ugly described their loss to the Warmth on Thursday. It’s solely preseason, however the identical might be stated for the 2 different Japanese Convention contenders who've blown the cap off the Barclays Heart.
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