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PORTLAND, Ore. (AP) — Whereas Portland guard Damian Lillard stays sidelined with an belly harm, Anfernee Simons is seizing the chance to indicate he has the skills to be an on a regular basis starter within the NBA.
Simons’ emergence has given the Path Blazers a spark in an in any other case bleak season. Simply 16-24 and sitting in tenth place within the Western Convention, Portland is lacking each Lillard and his backcourt accomplice CJ McCollum due to accidents.
“That’s my important purpose actually, simply to indicate that I will be that man,” Simons stated. “In order that’s what I’m attempting to do.”
Simons had 23 factors and a career-high 11 assists in Monday night time’s 114-108 victory over the talent-laden Brooklyn Nets, who had been lacking James Harden however performed Kyrie Irving for the second time this season.
The win capped a homestretch throughout which the Blazers went 3-2. Simons kicked off the homestand with a career-high 43 factors in a 136-131 victory over Atlanta on Jan. 3.
Recognized by his nickname Ant, the 22-year-old Simons has averaged 27.8 factors and seven.6 assists over these 5 video games, scoring 20 or extra factors in 4 of them.
“I feel he’s on his manner,” Portland first-year coach Chauncey Billups stated when requested if Simons has confirmed himself to be an NBA starter. “This stretch right here with out Dame goes to large for Ant. I do know what I really feel about him, but it surely’s not about me, it’s about proving himself to everyone else. He’s going to have to keep up that consistency.”
He began every of these video games within the absence of Lillard, who has struggled this season with decrease belly tendinopathy. Lillard, a six-time All-Star and the Blazers’ stalwart chief, has been bothered by the harm because the Tokyo Olympics.
Lillard isn’t accompanying the Blazers on their upcoming six-game street journey, which begins Wednesday night time in Denver. As a substitute, he’ll be evaluated additional — a troubling signal because the Blazers search their ninth straight playoff berth.
McCollum has missed 15 video games after struggling a collapsed lung and is now awaiting the start of his first youngster. Portland can be with out fellow starters Norman Powell due to COVID-19 protocols and Larry Nance Jr. due to proper knee irritation.
Simons is hardly alone among the many league’s younger gamers who’ve been garnering extra minutes as coronavirus circumstances spike.
Miami’s Omer Yurtseven, 23, has had double-digit rebounds in his final 11 video games and was the primary NBA participant this season to have 4 consecutive video games with at the very least 16 rebounds, a streak he’ll attempt to prolong Wednesday when the Warmth go to Atlanta. He’s been getting extra taking part in time whereas Bam Adebayo and Dewayne Dedmon are each harm.
“I feel everyone’s seeing it this yr, in all probability extra so than some other yr ever within the NBA, is that younger guys are getting alternatives they usually’re taking big-time benefit of it,” Sacramento Kings interim coach Alvin Gentry stated. “You take a look at a child like Simons, who everyone appears like is an effective participant. As to how good that’s? Properly, for those who play on a group with the 2 backcourt gamers (the Blazers) have right here, there’s simply not a complete lot of time so that you can play. So now that he’s acquired prolonged minutes, you possibly can see what he can do.”
One of many pitfalls of taking up the beginning job, and capably performing in it, is that defenses are actually keying in on Simons.
“I’m studying each single sport, taking part in by errors, attempting to be aggressive in sure areas. I do know a number of groups are going to begin throwing me a number of consideration,” Simons stated. “Simply being ready for that and know the best way to counter it. I feel I’m dealing with it fairly nicely.”
Simons is in his fourth season within the league. He was a first-round draft choose by the Blazers in 2018 out of the IMG Academy in Florida. When he moved into the backup level guard position forward of final season, Lillard wholeheartedly endorsed him, saying: “I imagine in Ant.”
“They simply need me to play my sport. All people’s saying shoot the ball, make performs, and everyone’s giving me the arrogance to do this,” Simons stated. “So it makes it a lot simpler. I’m not going into the sport worrying in regards to the burden that’s on my shoulder, or the load that’s on my shoulder.”
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AP Basketball Author Tim Reynolds in Miami contributed to this report.
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