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Ben Simmons navigated 76ers fans far better than the Nets navigated the 76ers’ offense.
In Simmons’ first game at Wells Fargo Center in 520 days, he looked healthy and aggressive while appearing to thrive on the relentless boos. Kyrie Irving played 30 minutes in his second game back since suspension. Kevin Durant poured in 20 points on 9 of 14 shooting.
But the Nets’ Big 3 still found a way to lose to a 76ers team that lacked its three best players in a 115-106 loss in the City of Brotherly Love, Excluding Simmons.
The Nets (8-10) halted a short two-game winning streak and head to Toronto on Wednesday for a back-to-back after a poor defensive effort and poor hustle, allowing the 76ers to shoot 50 percent (16 of 32) from beyond the arc. The Nets shot just 32.1 percent from deep, Joe Harris and Seth Curry combining to convert 3 of 13 from 3.
The 76ers cashed in on their chances and got many more of them: They outrebounded the Nets, 49-35.
The Nets shot 55 percent from the field and made several runs, but they could not come up with the big stops or big loose balls. The Nets were down three entering the fourth quarter and watched the deficit balloon, beginning with a wide-open 3 from Furkan Korkmaz.
