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Mar 5, 2025; Boston, Massachusetts, USA; Boston Celtics guard Payton Pritchard (11) follows through on a three point basket as Portland Trail Blazers guard Anfernee Simons (1) looks on during the first quarter at TD Garden. Mandatory Credit: Winslow Townson-Imagn Images Winslow Townson-Imagn Images

Shocking Celtics Guard Has Become a Top Defender in NBA

Originally posted on Boston Celtics on SI
By Alex Kirschenbaum | Last updated Nov 2, 2025 2:00 PM ET

A surprise Boston Celtics guard has emerged as, statistically, one of the best defenders in the league early into the season.

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Per The Lead, through October 28, new Celtics guard Anfernee Simons has generated the second-lowest opponent field goal percentage (31 percent) in the NBA, below only perpetual Defensive Player of the Year candidate Victor Wembanyama of the San Antonio Spurs.

Lowest opponent FG% as the closest defender this szn (min. 35 FGA defended):

29.7% - Wemby
31.0% - Anfernee Simons
31.8% - Ryan Rollins
32.0% - Jaylen Brown
33.8% - Donovan Clingan
33.9% - Stephon Castle
34.3% - Giddey
35.1% - Ayton
35.1% - Kon Kneuppel
35.1% - AJ Green pic.twitter.com/lNyt9gziM2
— The Lead (@TheLeadSM) October 28, 2025

This represents a bit of a shock for anyone who watched Simons during his years with the Portland Trail Blazers.

The 6-foot-3 vet was always something of a sieve on that end of the court, prone to overextending himself and gambling on steals while his covers left him in the dust.

A Major Transformation

Under Joe Mazzulla's system as a Boston reserve, however, Simons seems to have undergone a major transformation.

His acumen at the point of attack may be somewhat fluky, as it's early yet for the 3-4 Celtics. But the trends are positive, and his offense in reduced minutes has remained effective.

Across his first seven games for the Celtics (with his minutes reduced from 32.7 to 26.6 per as a bench reserve), Simons has been averaging 13.7 points on .412/.396/.778 shooting splits, 2.4 rebounds, 1.4 assists and 0.7 steals a night.

Simons conceded ahead of the season that he hadn't been properly taught defensive tactics prior to his tenure in Boston, a clear indictment of then-Portland Trail Blazers head coach Chauncey Billups' tutelage abilities.

I asked Anfernee Simons about the technique side of improving his defense as he’s spent the last month doing defensive playmaking drills with the coaching staff:

“Those things are things I never really worked on or been taught – and so I was happy that that was the focus.” https://t.co/YLAVtE2TNj pic.twitter.com/ZsKyAPguqv
— Noa Dalzell (@NoaDalzell) October 1, 2025

“Whether it’s stabbing at the ball, trying to steal the ball, get in passing lanes, being in the right spot each and every time, that’s what we drilled for the first four weeks I was here before training camp,” Simons said. “Those things are things I never really worked on or been taught – and so I was happy that that was the focus.”

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Despite this development, the 26-year-old vet may not be long for Boston. His expiring $27.7 million contract could be offloaded as trade fodder by this year's February deadline, as Celtics team president Brad Stevens looks to further cut costs for a club not expected to contend this spring and summer.

Boston is currently $4 million above the league's first luxury tax apron. The Celtics are also $12.1 million above the league's salary cap.