Ben Simmons was looking more like his old self in the Brooklyn Nets’ stunning 109-107 victory over the Portland Trail Blazers.
Simmons racked up his first double-double for the Nets with 15 points, 12 rebounds and 7 assists, including a flawless shooting performance.
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He then fouled out with just seconds remaining in the fourth quarter.
Fri, 18 Nov
Friday November 18th
It was the second-straight game the 26-year-old posted double figures in the scoring column, having recorded single-digit scores in his first nine games of the season.
Simmons’ remarkable passing game was also on show in the match, with one moment late in the second quarter proving just that.
Within the space of a second, Simmons went from collecting a rebound just underneath his own hoop to launching a lofted pass in the direction of teammate Kevin Durant who had made a great run up the right side of the court.
Durant got the ball on the edge of the Trail Blazers’ arc and drove past his marker for an easy bucket, with the superstar immediately acknowledging Simmons’ dime to him.
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With an impressive showing, many were singing Simmons’ praises as he looked like his old self.
Durant was the Nets’ leading point scorer with 35 while shooting guard Joe Harris also chipped in with 15 of his own, as did Yuta Watanabe with 20 points.
The large contributions across the board were enough to get past a strong Trail Blazers outfit, who had three players scoring 20 points or more.
Portland superstar Damian Lillard was one of them with 25 points, while Shaedon Sharpe (20) and Anfernee Simons (24) did the business as well.
The victory leaves Brooklyn with a 7-9 record in the Eastern Conference while the Trail Blazers remain at the summit of the Western Conference after dropping to 10-5.
FULL RESULTS
Brooklyn Nets 109-107 Portland Trail Blazers
Sacramento Kings 130-112 San Antonio Spurs
Los Angeles Clippers v Detroit Pistons
