Ben Simmons Takes A Bagel Vs Celtics Joins His Own Coach

Ben Simmons consumes a bagel against the Celtics, joining the questionable statistical club of his own coach.

Simmons may not want to be a member of this club, but he is still a member.

No player can match Kevin Durant's output for the Brooklyn Nets, who are expected to be without him for at least a month due to a damaged MCL. They are required to work in groups. Ben Simmons is one of the apparent possibilities to take up at least part of Kevin Durant's scoring and usage. Simmons hasn't been required to start much offence or even be a secondary scorer while playing for Brooklyn, but he has previously played as an All-Star lead dog.

In Brooklyn's first game following KD's injury, Simmons' scoring efforts weren't as successful. With three shots, Simmons made a bagel as the Nets fell to Boston, 109-98. Simmons did a good job. He pushed the tempo and produced several lovely passes that led to 13 assists, making him the first Brooklyn player to reach that mark since the James Harden trade. He was the only player from Brooklyn to record a positive point differential in 26 minutes, plus-10. Also, he contributed nine rebounds. 

It makes him one of just 18 players in NBA history to have recorded at least 13 assists without recording a point, according to Basketball Reference, placing him in a unique, though somewhat questionable, statistical club. Jacque Vaughn, who coaches Simmons, is interestingly a part of the team. In 2006, he posted a 13-0 record while playing with the then-New Jersey Nets.

Three people are left in the club after adding Simmons' nine rebounds, 13 assists, and zero points: Norm Van Lier from 1971, Tomas Satoransky, and Simmons right now. Even if you reduce the assist threshold to 10, just six players—Van Lier and Satoransky, Jason Kidd, Scottie Pippen, Josh Giddey, and now Simmons—have produced a 0-10-9 line.Again, I'm not sure this is a distinction to be very proud of. Nearly much of the club's exclusivity is dependent on being rejected. In one game, many players recorded 13 assists and 9 rebounds.

About twice a week, Nikola Jokic engages in it. However, it's challenging to play a significant amount of time in an NBA game without contributing a single point, much less as a player with All-Star calibre abilities who receives a lot of touches.