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Ben Simmons Has More Fouls Than Field Goal Attempts One Week Into the NBA Season
The Brooklyn Nets won their first game of the season on Sunday, beating the Milwaukee Bucks 115-102. Cam Thomas led the way with 32 points and Dennis Schroeder scored 29 as the team improved to 1-2 on the season.
Ben Simmons played 24 minutes and scored two points on three field goal attempts. He also contributed six rebounds and six assists while committing four fouls and turning the ball over four times. He has played 24 minutes in each game this season, which is the fifth-most minutes any Net has played this season, but leads the team in turnovers and personal fouls. He has yet to get into double-figures in points, rebounds or assists.
Suffice to say, the Ben Simmons revenge tour is off to a slow start. He's only averaging 0.3 more points per game than fouls. Probably because of moments like this where he passes up multiple layups.
Ben Simmons is still afraid to score lol
— Oh Yes He Did (@OhYesHeDid24) October 28, 2024
Come on, bro! pic.twitter.com/MVR71jI1am
Or here where he caught a lob near the rim and still tried to pass.
Did Ben Simmons just pass a lob? why would he pass a lob? this guy is so afraid to shoot he passed a Lob to Cam Johnson #Netsworld #NBA pic.twitter.com/tnOUNQlYnj
— Jeri Tsai (@JeriTsaiNets) October 27, 2024
And here's one from the season opener where he got the ball on the way to the basket and immediately turned and threw the ball back out for another turnover.
Ben Simmons, still passing when he should be trying to score pic.twitter.com/0Y2KFALuVQ
— outbreezy (@outbreezyWC) October 24, 2024
This is why Simmons has more fouls (14) than field goal attempts (12) this season.
We're approximately a month removed from Simmons telling the press that he's not that bad at basketball and he's actually pretty good when he's healthy. And yet he still refuses to shoot.
He remains super gifted, but he has yet to take a single shot outside the paint this season. He can rebound and run and pass, but whatever kept him from trying to score in almost any capacity has not changed.
At 28 years old and in his seventh season in the NBA, you have to wonder if things will ever be different.
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Stephen Douglas is a Senior Writer on the Breaking & Trending News Team at Sports Illustrated. He has been in journalism and media since 2008, and now casts a wide net with coverage across all sports. Stephen spent more than a decade with The Big Lead and has previously written for Uproxx and The Sporting News. He has three children, two degrees and one now unverified Twitter account.