For the first time since signing Kevin Durant and Kyrie Irving in July of 2019, the Nets will have the All-Star duo together on the court today, writes Brian Lewis of The New York Post. Durant has fully recovered from a ruptured Achilles tendon he suffered during the 2019 NBA Finals, while Irving is ready to go after last season’s shoulder surgery.
“We had 11 and 7 (Irving and Durant) sitting out for a lot of these games last year, and finally to have them back we’re ready to do big things with them, and we’re all excited,” Jarrett Allen said. “Two All-Stars, two most likely going to be Hall of Famers and watching them growing up, playing against them, playing with them and finally going to be on an actual NBA court it’s going to be an experience. I never thought I’d be in this position, but I’m ready to take advantage of it and soak it all in.”
Today will also mark the head coaching debut of Steve Nash, who was a surprise hire to run the team. He plans to take advantage of Durant’s versatility, which may include some time at point guard.
“Kevin will offensively play all five positions,” Nash said. “I don’t know that we’ll see a ton of time with him at the 1, but he’s definitely a ballhandler, playmaker and can thrive in pick-and-roll situations. So he’ll play the 1 at times. We’re trending toward positionless basketball.”
There’s more from the Atlantic Division:
- Nash hasn’t talked to Irving about his refusal to speak with the media, Lewis adds in a separate story. The league fined Irving and the Nets $25K each this week for failing to comply with media access rules. “He’s been unbelievable in camp,” Nash told reporters. “He’s been playing at an extremely high level. He’s been a leader. So, while he may not be in your guys’ good books right now, he’s in my good book.”
- Tobias Harris is poised for a bounce-back season as he reunites with Sixers coach Doc Rivers, who also coached Harris with the Clippers, notes Keith Pompey of The Philadelphia Inquirer. The trade of Al Horford will allow Harris to spend more time at power forward, which is his natural position. “We have changed our system since I was in L.A. with Tobias, but clearly, I know what works for him,” Rivers said. “It doesn’t really matter the system, it matters the way Tobias plays.”
- Tristan Thompson joined the Celtics as a free agent during the offseason, but he heard rumors in the past that he might be traded there, he says in an interview tweeted by Chris Forsberg of NBC Sports Boston.
Is it just ke of does that last bullet point feel like it is incomplete??…
Lol Idk, I just read it, and was like…Ummm, okay?? Nothing about how he felt about it, nothing saying he was excited to finally be going there, etc..Just that he heard some rumors he might be traded there previously..lol
I mean who would be excited about being traded to BOS?
Awe .. show us on the dolly where Bos hurt your favorite sports team!
I know right? The Lady Doth Protest too much, Methinks.
Who is going to get the ball to Tobias?
Big Guy Simmons?
Ugh Simmons ain’t a point guard and I see the Sixers never getting to where they want to go
SMH
Simmons is one of the best passers in the L
So is Jokic, he’s not a PG either
Sounds like you have not watched Simmons at all…or even worse have little understanding of the game? Even his detractors critique his lack of shooting and range, but even they don’t critique his passing? This is a sad tale.
???? I have never watched Simmons at all?
I have watched him too much so.
Trade Simmons for a passing PG
Simmons is one of the top 5 passing PG’s in the league already!
And a bottom 5 shooter, although he’s not actually a PG.
Yet you are hoping he gets traded (bad news…he won’t) to the Rockets for Harden…then you could change your Name again to celebrate Simmons lol.
Who cares about shooting, is only one skill, Simmons has very many skills… I don’t care much at all if he can shoot or not, he does everything else, so who cares?
You obviously haven’t noticed Philly doesn’t win all that much. So you know, some people care.
The people that keep score care. Rebounding is nice, but it doesn’t win games. Passing is nice, but it doesn’t win games. You can out rebound your opponent and still lose. You can out assist your opponent and still lose. But you’ll never lose if you out score your opponent.
Stats are very useful, but when it really comes down to it, they are basically trivially. The only thing that decides wins and losses is points scored and you do that by shooting.
He is a great passer, but a PG he is not. So no he is not one of the top 5 passing PGs. He is a PG/PF hybrid that has good qualities of both positions. However he will never be great if the team does not let him work on improving his skills for one or the other. He is a useful utility tool right now, but he is not a great PG or a great PF right now. He’s kind of like that tool that everyone gets for Christmas that has 10 tools in one. It’s not good as the original 10 tools, but it can be handy in a pinch.
Not sure any player is more awesome-looking coming down the court and scoring at the rim than Ben Simmons. The opponent has no chance. He makes it look easy, unlike LJ. If you’re a fan of scoring then how do you dismiss Simmons.
Harris had his best yr with Doc. I think he will help him. The thing they have to fix in Philly. Is how to best use Ben. IMO he should not be playing PG. he should be on the wing. Having a shooter like Green will help. A scoring PG is what best fits this team. A playmaker that doesn’t have to be a big ast guy. Cause Ben is an ast guy. Ben can dominate defenses at the wing. He and Harris are both interchangeable at PF, SF. I would start Thybulle at PG. Even Maxey (backup PG) although young. Can play the PG for them. I would use him that way. He’s basically a combo guard. At PG he’s got size and is a great defender. Or instead of all this Harden mess. I’d be on the phones with Detroit about D Rose. Having a talent like Embiid. Sixers should be loaded with shooters. Getting Green and Curry will make them better. Howard is an excellent backup C. I’m very interested to see how Sixers play this yr. To me Embiid and Simmons are big time talents.
I am glad you are not the 76ers GM…wheeeewwww! But I guess following your plan would assemble a roster like the Knicks, so at least you can enjoy your home team