Another game has passed and still, no one knows what version of Ben Simmons Brooklyn is going to get after it slumped to a 1-4 record following a 110-99 loss to Milwaukee.
It was an ugly start for the Nets, who fell behind 25-20 after the first quarter but honestly it could have been further behind having shot 33 per cent from the floor and made six turnovers.
Fortunately for Brooklyn though Milwaukee was not much better, shooting 31 per cent from the field in what was an all-round clunky beginning from both teams.
Giannis Antetokounmpo (eight points, five rebounds) and Bobby Portis (seven points, four rebounds) led the way for the Bucks at that point while Kevin Durant had nine points.
The Nets quickly turned things around in the second quarter though, going into halftime on a 10-0 run to take a 55-43 lead.
Portis continued to power Milwaukee off the bench, finishing with 16 points but Milwaukee was struggling to get it going from deep, ending the half having shot just 4-for-22 from deep.
That lead also coincided with the Nets giving Simmons an extended run at center, with Brooklyn outscoring Milwaukee 16-7 in the period where the Australian came in for Nic Claxton.
The Nets have struggled to get the offence flowing with Claxton and Simmons on the court at the same time so staggering their minutes at center could be something to look into moving forward.
Simmons was making his presence felt on the defensive end early in the game, with the Bucks going 0-for-6 with Simmons as the primary defender in the first quarter.
Simmons was facilitating for his teammates too, finishing the game with a season-high nine assists to go with five rebounds, four points, one block and one steal.
The 26-year-old also attempted seven shots from the field but was called out by Kyrie Irving for not shooting early in the third quarter.
In this case though it really did not look like Simmons would have been better off shooting anyway, with all the Bucks defenders clogging the paint and Durant wide-open.
Irving was later asked about Simmons’ struggles in his post-game press conference and immediately leapt to the defence of the Australian.
“You guys keep coming in here asking me like what about Ben? He hasn’t played in two years. Give him give him a f***ing chance,” Irving said.
“We stay on his s***. You just stay on him. But we’re here to give him positive affirmations.”
He also seemed to experience discomfort in his back after drawing contact from Antetokounmpo earlier in the game, telling reporters he tweaked it but plans to play the next day against the Mavericks.
Speaking of Antetokounmpo, he had 17 points in the third quarter as the Bucks outscored the Nets 35-21 to take a two-point lead into the fourth.
Nash erupted in fury, apparently angered after officials failed to call a foul on Antetokounmpo after the Bucks star flattened Brooklyn’s Patty Mills.
An incandescent Nash needed to be hustled away from the confrontation by Nets players and coaching staff before heading back to the locker room.
Nash’s ejection came at a time when momentum had swung back towards Milwaukee, who recovered after being pummeled 35-18 in the second quarter to outscore Brooklyn 35-21 in the third.
Brooklyn led by four points when Nash was ejected but Antetokounmpo took over to lead the Bucks to a deserved win.
The Nets’ offence spluttered in the fourth, failing to put up any points in one six-minute period, although the Bucks were unable to capitalise themselves and push away.
Still, Brooklyn was little hope of forcing its way back into the contest, particularly with Antetokounmpo continuing to make a difference on both ends late in the game.
Antetokounmpo finished with a game-high 43 points, 14 rebounds, five assists and three blocks while Jrue Holiday (15 points, seven rebounds, four assists) was the only other starter to hit double figures.
Durant and Irving combined for 60 points for the Nets and improved on the defensive end but just could not get the shots to fall when they needed to.
Soft call = Simmons OUT, Nash blows lid! | 01:16
AUSSIE THYBULLE SHUT OUT AGAIN AS SIXERS SLUMP
Superstar trio Joel Embiid, Tyrese Maxey and James Harden did all they could but once again it was not enough for the struggling Sixers, who dropped to a 1-4 record after a 119-109 loss to the Raptors.
The three combined to score 80 of Philadelphia’s 109 points but a lack of consistent production elsewhere and poor transition defence proved costly for the Sixers.
Toronto, on the other hand, had six players with double figures in points including all five of its starters and improved its record this season to 3-2.
Gary Trent Jr. led the scoring for the Raptors with 27 points as Pascal Siakam (20 points, 13 assists, five rebounds) and Scottie Barnes (16 points, five assists, 11 rebounds) also put in impressive performances.
Australian Matisse Thybulle, meanwhile, did not get any minutes once more even as the Sixers continued to struggle on the defensive side of things.
While De’Anthony Melton has more offensive upside and deserves big minutes for the Sixers, it is getting to a point where coach Doc Rivers need to at least see what Thybulle brings.
Rivers and the Sixers staff were both glowing in their praise for Thybulle’s efforts in trying to improve his shot over the offseason but he really has not been given a chance to show it yet.
Embiid made a fast start for the Sixers, scoring nine points on 4-for-4 shooting along with two rebounds in the first five minutes.
The scores were still level at 13-all at that point though, with Scottie Barnes, Pascal Siakam, Gary Trent Jr. and O.G. Anunoby all contributing early for Toronto.
The Raptors then went on to outscore the Sixers by eight points, taking a 35-27 lead into the second quarter after shooting 7-for-9 from deep as Siakam (15 points) led the way.
Embiid was also still finding plenty of success too, using his size to dominate as he went into the second quarter with 11 points while Harden had four assists.
The Raptors continued to push ahead in the second quarter, going on a 22-10 run to jump out to a 57-40 lead but it was Embiid, Harden and Maxey who continued to pick up the pace when the Sixers needed it most.
Dyson Daniels fills the stat box! | 01:37
Philadelphia still trailed 63-53 heading into halftime, with that trio combining for 53 of its points and then Embiid picked up where he left off in the third quarter.
The Sixers big man scored their first eight points of the quarter with Maxey also doing plenty of damage and Tobias Harris chipping in with four assists and a 3-pointer.
Even still it was not enough for Philadelphia, with Toronto still up 89-79 heading into the final quarter.
That was despite Siakam’s scoring drying off, although he had five assists as Trent Jr. started to heat up with 16 points off 6-for-7 from the field, including 4-for-5 from deep.
It was much of the same for the Sixers in the final quarter, with Maxey and Embiid keeping Philadelphia in it while De’Anthony Melton had a few handy buckets.
In the end though it was not enough, with the Raptors doing it comfortably in a 119-109 win.
The Raptors and Sixers will face off again in two days.
ELSEWHERE… BANCHERO CONTINUES TO FIRE IN ROOKIE SEASON
In Detroit, Trae Young poured in 35 points for visiting Atlanta as the Hawks downed the Pistons 118-113.
John Collins added 19 points while De’Andre Hunter finished with 17 for Atlanta. Bojan Bogdanovic led the Pistons scorers with 33 points.
In Cleveland, Orlando’s No.1 draft pick Paolo Banchero excelled with 29 points but could not stop the Magic slipping to a 103-92 defeat to the Cavaliers.
Banchero shot 10-of-19 from the field but the Cavs sealed victory thanks to 22 points from Evan Mobley and 18 from Jarrett Allen.
“Paolo is selfless, tough, confident, high basketball IQ, willing learner — all of those things,” Magic coach Jamahl Mosley said.
“He also has such a great gift of humility and I think that’s huge. He’s just blended in like he belongs here.”
