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Kyrie Irving Reacts to Ben Simmons Fouling Out
It was a rough Brooklyn Nets debut for Ben Simmons, who fouled out in just 23 minutes. A team-worst -26 in those minutes, Simmons did not perform well even when he was on the court, scoring just 4 points while turning the ball over 3 times. While he did tally 5 assists and 5 rebounds, the Nets will need much more from him going forward.
After the game, Nets guard Kyrie Irving was asked about Simmons fouling out, and said, "As we told him in the locker room, he's a valuable piece for us and we need him out there. And fouling out is not an option. Playing aggressive is something that we want him to do, but we also want to play smart."
Having traded James Harden for Simmons, the Nets truly feel as if he can be a key piece alongside Kyrie Irving and Kevin Durant. He is one of the most unique players in basketball, and his upside projects to benefit a Nets team that is lacking in many of the areas Simmons excels in. That said, it was a rough debut for Simmons, as he and the Nets have a lot of work to do.
It is a long season, and while the Nets would have loved to start the year with a win, they understand this is a process that will take time. For Kyrie Irving, he wants to see his teammate Ben Simmons on the floor as much as possible.
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