What Changes Now With Ben Simmons?
In the wake of Kevin Durant's isolated MCL sprain, an injury that will sideline the superstar forward for likely a month, the Brooklyn Nets are looking for an increase in production from their point forward. It’s all about playing with a higher level of consistent force.
"The next step [for Simmons] is to play every possession with force. The beginning of a possession all the way to the end of it," Vaughn told reporters after Brooklyn's practice on Wednesday afternoon at HSS Training Center. "And so that becomes a habit that you consistently [do] from possession to possession and game to game. So the pace that he’s going to create for us, the easy shots that he has to create for us because of the pace, it’s a necessity. And looking forward to it."
Simmons, who is averaging 7.7 points, 6.7 rebounds, and 6.0 assists through 40 games played, has shown an excellent ability to generate great looks for his teammates behind the arc and on cutting plays. On the other side, with no Durant on the hardwood, there will be less gravity drawn in Brooklyn's offense.
By playing with more force, what does that mean? What should we expect to see? In Vaughn's latest task to his 26-year-old point-forward, that means bringing the force on both ends of the floor throughout the game, or at any moment. Because he knows his group will need that with their cornerstone out of the lineup.
Here's how the Nets’ head coach broke it down ...
"You take, for example, the beginning of the New Orleans game. So he had three things at the beginning of that game. First of all, he picked CJ McCollum up full court. Alright? So that’s the defensive force. Then you go to the offensive force. He gets the ball swung back to him. He drives [on Jonas] Valanciunas right hand. That’s playing with force. He gets downhill, [pushes] the pace, at [Trey] Murphy for a finish. That’s playing with force. He gets a crossover, post up dribble, he draws two defenders to him. He sprays it out to Royce [O’Neale] for a corner trey ball. That’s playing with force.
“Now that was the first six minutes of the game. Now can you do it at the 18-minute mark? The 24-minute mark? The 40-minute mark? So that’s the progression. [It’s] still the same thing and you’re seeing it, but can you consistently see it? Because we definitely need that with Kevin being out."
That test begins with the Eastern Conference-leading Boston Celtics (1.5 games above the Nets) on Thursday night at Barclays Center. The Nets' head coach declined to disclose who will start in the place of the injured Durant.
"I’ll tell you that tomorrow," Vaughn said. "That’s only fair. That’s only fair, right? Boston plays tonight or [whenever] they play New Orleans. I don’t know. [The] smartest plan or willing to start so keep a little something in our pocket."
