Anfernee Simons had his best game of the season for the Celtics on Thursday night in a 119-114 win over the Heat, writes Jay King for The Athletic.
He scored 18 points in the fourth quarter and ended the game with 39 points while hitting seven threes, all while coming off the bench.
“I think he definitely was in that mode tonight where, let’s get him the ball and get out of the way and let him be special,” teammate Sam Hauser said.
Jaylen Brown, who ceded the role of closer to Simons for the night, had similarly high praise.
“That boy can play,” Brown said. “He’s probably more talented than the role that he’s placed in. I think that’s kind of obvious, but I have hella respect for him to come out and play winning basketball and do what the team needs (him) to do on a night-in and night-out basis. He doesn’t complain. He just brings good energy and just contributes in a positive way.”
King writes that coming from the Blazers, it was unclear whether Simons played a winning brand of basketball. According to Grant Afseth of Dallas Hoops Journal, there’s a feeling that, to an extent, those questions have been answered, and that he has helped his trade stock this season.
The Celtics have been rumored to be in the market for a big man, but Simons’ play could make it harder to move him than expected, unless it brings back a longer-term impact player.
We have more notes from around the Atlantic Division:
- RJ Barrett is still out with the ankle injury that has sidelined him for the Raptors‘ last four games entering Sunday’s contest against the Lakers, but he seems to be moving in the right direction. Michael Grange of Sportsnet reports (via Twitter) that Barrett has begun doing on-court work. Grange adds that the 25-year-old wing was practicing with intensity and doesn’t appear to be favoring the ankle, and that he expects Barrett to return sometime during the Raptors’ five-game roadtrip (Twitter link).
- The Knicks‘ recent struggles can be traced to many different sources, but one key shortcoming has been the play of Mikal Bridges in the fourth quarter, writes Stefan Bondy of the New York Post. Bondy writes that Bridges is averaging just 3.5 points on 42.4% shooting in fourth quarters despite playing the most minutes of any Knick, compared to 55.2% shooting during first halves. Bridges has also struggled to play with physicality — Bondy notes that there are 80 players in the league who play fewer minutes than the 6’6″ wing while averaging more free throws. The biggest issue, though, is how he’s struggled to step up when Jalen Brunson is unavailable to play. After being brought in to be a tertiary offensive creator, Bridges has averaged just 17.8 points in the five games without Brunson, in which time the Knicks hold a record of 1-and-4. Bondy adds that last season saw similar concerns about Bridges’ play, and that he stepped up when needed in the playoffs.
- Jared McCain was assigned to the Sixers‘ G League affiliate on Saturday after struggling to keep a role in the rotation in his second season, writes Kyle Neubeck of PHLY. McCain hasn’t been able to find his offensive consistency, shooting just 35.4% from the field and 32.3% from three, both dramatic declines from his shortened rookie season, when he shot 46.0% overall and hit 38.3% from deep. Neubeck writes that coach Nick Nurse has maintained that the most important thing for the second-year player is getting minutes and comfort. McCain’s struggles seemed to continue in the G League, however. In his game with the Delaware Blue Coats on Sunday, McCain scored 15 points on 5-18 shooting while hitting two of his nine threes and posting six turnovers to 0 assists, per Adam Aaronson of the Philly Voice (Twitter link).