Anfernee Simons might’ve saved the Boston Celtics from being swept in their two-game mini-series against the Orlando Magic. Boston looked doomed for another disappointing loss when Simons exploded for a 25-point first half to keep them in the fight on Sunday.
The 26-year-old’s offensive outburst gave Celtics fans a glimpse of what his potential fit within the team could be. He looked much more like the player who led the Portland Trail Blazers in scoring over the past few seasons, creating shots off the dribble, getting to the cup, and drilling catch-and-shoot jumpers.
It was like seeing Forrest Gump’s leg braces break off when he runs for the first time.
For one night, Simons’ new role off Boston’s bench didn’t hold him back. Instead, his performance served as a reminder that he can be a legitimate game-changer when he’s effective on offense.
Whether or not his three-level scoring is something fans should expect to see regularly is still up in the air, though.
The Celtics need to help Simons help them
What’s more likely, or perhaps more important, is the Celtics figuring out a way to get Simons going on a nightly basis. He saw his first shot go in against Orlando, and from that point forward, it was game on.
Ironically, the make came off an isolation possession, which hasn’t favored the scoring guard yet this season. Oftentimes, when he puts the ball on the floor, it results in an empty offensive trip for the Celtics.
He’s been far more effective as a catch-and-shoot player in Boston. The stats back it up, but literally every time he takes a three off the catch, I think it’s going in.
Through 11 games, Simons averages 4.4 three-point attempts when taking zero dribbles. Those shots have found the bottom of the net 47.9% of the time -- which ties him for fifth in the NBA for any player shooting at least the same number of attempts as he is.
This is an elite skill.
Whenever you’ve got a player with an elite skill, you’ve got to find a way to maximize it. Boston has done a tremendous job at this over the past two seasons, getting the most out of players like Payton Pritchard and Sam Hauser, who have thrived as off-ball shooters.
It would make sense for the Celtics to do the same for Simons this season. It’s easier said than done, but at the bare minimum, there should be sets put into place that allow him to fly around without the ball and get open to catch and shoot.
We sort of saw this in Orlando on Sunday, but with an extra layer. Some of Simons’ offensive success came because Boston ran plays to get him the ball when he’s already at an advantage, rather than having him create one for himself. Specifically, he was able to get downhill and to the rim in handoff actions, with the option of pulling up for a jumper if the help defender wasn’t up high enough.
Removing the responsibility of having to create shots through isolation should make things easier for the former Blazers guard. Though this Celtics team isn’t as talented as they’ve been in years past, they’re still better built than any of Simons’ recent Portland squads.
There’s no reason why it should be more difficult for him to get good looks playing alongside players like Pritchard, Jaylen Brown, and Derrick White (even if they don’t always play at the same time).
Thankfully, there’s still plenty of season left for the Cs to figure out how Simons can work for them. What we’ve seen so far serves as a reminder that when new pieces join the team, it can take time to find their fit.