The microscope has once again landed on Australian NBA star Ben Simmons after his Brooklyn Nets booked a spot in the playoffs.
Kyrie Irving had 34 points and 12 assists, Kevin Durant added 25 points and 11 assists as the Nets took the No.7 seed in the Eastern Conference by beating the Cleveland Cavaliers 115-108 on Tuesday in the play-in opener.
Brooklyn’s championship hopes will move on to a mammoth task as they come up against No.2 seed Boston Celtics, who boasted the top defence in the league in the regular season.
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Boston have had Brooklyn’s number this season, having won the season series against the Nets, 3-1.
Simmons, who was traded from Philadelphia to Brooklyn in February, hasn’t played a game this season but is on the verge of returning after dealing with a herniated disc in his back.
Leading NBA reporter Shams Charania revealed on Wednesday (AEDT) Simmons was likely to return in the middle of the playoffs series with Boston.
“That’s going to be the game-changer,” Charania said.
“If you’re able to get Ben Simmons back in your line-up, and I’m told he’s very confident that he will be able to make a return at some point in this first-round series.
“I think games one and two of the Boston series, I think that’s too quick. But I definitely think after that is when the window for Ben Simmons to return starts opening up.
“That’s a game-changer, that’s a guy that automatically put on on the other team’s best player. He can move the ball, he can rebound – a lot can happen.
“I’m told he’s very confident he will be back.”
Simmons’ availability will be crucial, with much of the NBA world already counting the Nets out.
“There’s no way [the Nets] can beat the Celtics… they barely beat a mediocre Cavs team,” former NBA MVP Charles Barkley said.
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Nets head coach Steve Nash said Simmons is moving better and doing more shooting, but there is still no timetable for when he could finally play for the Nets.
Simmons, who sat on the bench wearing a green jacket and matching shorts, has battled back problems since he was acquired from Philadelphia in February.
“So definitely positive signs, improving and moving and all those things, but like I said he hasn’t been running full speed or playing against anybody,” Nash said. “So still a lot of markers to meet.”
The Nets raced to a 20-point lead after one quarter and turned the Cavaliers away time and time again in their play-in game.
Irving made his first 12 shots before a three-pointer rimmed out in the fourth quarter. He finished 12 for 15.
A preseason NBA Finals favourite who sputtered through a turbulent season and were in 10th place entering the last week of the regular season, the Nets have run off five straight wins. With Durant and Irving, they are far more dangerous than the usual No.7 seed.
And both are willing to give the ball to teammates who are capitalizing when they get it. Bruce Brown had 18 points, nine rebounds and eight assists, while Andre Drummond scored 16 points.
Darius Garland scored 34 points for the Cavaliers, who have another chance to earn the No.8 seed. They will host the winner of the Atlanta-Charlotte game on Sunday (AEDT), with the winner moving on to face No.1 seed Miami.
Brooklyn and Cleveland both went 44-38 but the Nets clinched the tiebreaker by beating the Cavs at Barclays Center last week to finish 3-1 against them. Cleveland was confident it could come back to Brooklyn and win, though it was clear quickly just how difficult that would be.
The Nets made nearly 71 per cent of their shots in the first quarter — Irving and Durant combined to make all eight of theirs — and closed the period with a 15-3 spurt that made it 40-20. It was a bigger lead than Brooklyn had in any first quarter during the regular season.
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