Nets’ Ben Simmons Impresses NBA Fans with Double-Double in Injury Return vs. Jazz

Ben Simmons’ strong all-around performance lifted the Brooklyn Nets to a dominant 147-114 win over the Utah Jazz on Monday night.

Simmons made his first appearance since Nov. 6 due to a lower back nerve impingement, immediately giving head coach Jacque Vaughn productive minutes off the bench. In the first half alone, the 27-year-old grabbed six rebounds and dished out seven assists.

By the end of the night, Simmons flirted with a triple-double by recording 10 points, eight rebounds, and a season-high 11 assists without committing a turnover. He picked up a block and a steal as well, connecting on all five of his field goal attempts in just 18 minutes of action.

NBA fans were pleasantly surprised by the former 2016 No. 1 overall pick:

Although the Nets moved to just 19-27 after the win, Simmons returning to the court and looking like his former self would provide a huge boost to the rest of the lineup. His playmaking is sorely needed on a Brooklyn team that has struggled with ball movement at certain points during the regular season.

If the former three-time All-Star begins to look like his old self as his role increases over time, the Nets will also likely be fielding several trade calls from interested teams ahead of the Feb. 8 deadline.

“Just a blessing to be back on the floor and play with my guys, and glad we could get a win,” Simmons said after the game.

His next opportunity to build upon his promising return will come against the Phoenix Suns on Wednesday.