Watch: Ben Simmons scores first points as a Net
The last time Ben Simmons attempted a shot in an NBA game, the No. 1 song in the country was "Butter" by BTS. A dark-horse candidate named Herschel Walker was hinting at running for Senate in Georgia. Moviegoers were thrilled by "The Hitman's Wife's Bodyguard."
With 6:23 remaining in the third quarter of Game 7 of the Sixers-Hawks series, Ben Simmons dunked the ball. (Two minutes earlier, he'd missed a seven-foot hook shot.)
Early in the Nets' season opener against the New Orleans Pelicans, Simmons dunked it again.
Kyrie Irving got a steal, threw it up to Royce O'Neale, who threw a lob to Simmons under the rim. And Simmons didn't pass off, worried about getting fouled. He simply caught the pass and threw it down for two points, his first as a Brooklyn Net.
In the second quarter, Simmons achieved another milestone: His first missed free throws in 523 days.
In the end, Simmons finished with four points, five rebounds and five assists on 2-of-3 from the field. He also went 0-of-2 from the free-throw line.
The Nets got blown out by the Pelicans, 130-108.
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