Kyrie Irving comes in defense for Ben Simmons following another inferior display vs Bucks: ‘He hasn’t played in two years, give him a f***ing chance’

“If we’re going to come in and be honest as a team, I’m not just trying to be critical over what Ben has done right or wrong every single night,” Irving noted reporters after the 110-99 Nets loss. “He’s a basketball player, he has the skills to be a great professional, he has done it in the past and he hasn’t played in two years.

“You guys keep coming in here and asking me, ‘What about Ben? What about Ben?’ He hasn’t played in two years. Give him a f***ing chance … We’re just here to give him positive affirmations while he is out there and just let him hoop. And while he’s hooping back into [the player he is], we really have to gel as a team in order to win as a group.”

Simmons, who had an embattled 2021-22 season marred by controversial stand-off against the Philadelphia 76ers and a back injury, enters this new season with all basketball eyes on him. But due to the fact that he didn’t play competitive basketball for over a year, he remains rusty as expected.

For the third time in four games so far, Simmons went passive again in terms of his contributions. While both Irving and Kevin Durant carried Brooklyn with a combined 60 points against Milwaukee, he only went off with four markers in two-for-seven shooting in 34 minutes of play. He also went near fouling out again with four whistles from the officials. On the defensive side, he failed to neutralize Giannis Antetokounmpo, who dropped 43 points (16-25 shooting), 14 boards and five assists to lead the Bucks on Wednesday victory.

While it is true that Simmons hasn’t played for a very long time, it now truly comes down from his willingness to familiarize himself again and being aggressive. Other than Irving and his teammates, head coach Steve Nash has consistently shielded him out of public scrutiny after making a return from hoops activities.

For now, he may get some pass from the underperformances he delivered. But knowing that the Nets have something to prove this basketball year after a disastrous offseason, Simmons will critically be needed as events continue to make their progress.