Anfernee Simons’ first month as a Boston Celtic hasn’t exactly been the best stretch of his NBA career. In one word, it’s been awkward. The former Portland Trail Blazers star has struggled to find his place in Boston.
Despite Friday’s NBA Cup loss to the Brooklyn Nets, the 26-year-old actually looked like, well, himself out there. He earned a season-high 33 minutes, scored 23 points on 10-16 from the field, and dished four assists.
“I thought he was one of the better guards tonight, handling their aggressive pick-and-roll coverage, whether it was hitting the pocket pass or beating to the outside leg, and kind of being dynamic in his offensive attack,” Joe Mazzulla said of Simons’ performance postgame.
The Nets forced the Cs into sluggish offensive possessions all night by keeping their ball handlers from getting downhill with the aggressive defense that Mazzulla alluded to. Simons’ ability to handle Brooklyn’s pressure was huge in the Celtics’ comeback attempt in the fourth quarter.
When the Nets sent double-teams at him, he’d either find a way around them or slip a pass to a rolling Neemias Queta, who he’s sneakily developed a bit of chemistry with. Simons showcased a comfort getting to the paint that Celtics fans have yet to see from him.
If he’s going to become an effective fit as a secondary creator in Boston, penetrating the defense will be a big part in it.
So will defense.
He even buckled down and got some stops late in this game, like this steal turned fastbreak bucket as the Cs tried to climb out of a 15-point fourth-quarter hole.
Anfernee Simons with the steal and Jordan Walsh with the dunk! pic.twitter.com/jk2QN1dpOT
— Danielle Hobeika (@DanielleHobeika) November 22, 2025
“I thought his presence defensively was probably the best it’s been all season,” Mazzulla continued. “So I thought he was playing well.”
Simons still has work to do to earn more trust from Mazzulla
One strong performance isn’t enough to ensure Simons the same extended playing time he earned Friday against the Nets. Hopefully, this can be a turning point for him in his pursuit of purpose in Boston.
He’s come off the bench in all 16 of his appearances for the Cs to this point, a role he hasn’t played in nearly four years. The difference lies beyond just starting vs. coming off the bench, though.
Simons simply hasn’t looked like he’s sure what he’s supposed to do at times this season.
"For sure it's different,” he explained back in October. “Obviously me having the ball more in Portland I can always kind of be more a little bit more patient knowing that I got the ball in my hands the whole game. [In Boston] you got all the good guys that have the ball in their hands that can make plays, so you kinda have to find your rhythm within that."
This thought process has been evident when watching the offensively gifted guard this year. He’s looked afraid to give the ball up at times, which disrupts Boston’s offense when he’s on the floor.
He’s made some progress in recent games, finding his teammates out of pick-and-roll spots like he did against Brooklyn. Simons combined for 12 assists across Boston’s back-to-back against the Philadelphia 76ers and Memphis Grizzlies last week.
The more willing he is to give the ball up, the more effective he’ll be, like Friday, for the Celtics.