The Ballad of Anfernee Simons
Here for a good time, not a long time
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One of the charming subplots of this season has been watching Anfernee Simons figure out what it takes to be a winning basketball player. Make no mistake, Simons’ job is to make shots and get buckets. That’s why he’s in the NBA. However, he’s been on the court in the fourth quarter because he’s finally cracked the code. Points get you paid. Hustle, defense, and situational awareness get you crunch time minutes.
You might think this kind of revelation would be obvious, but having been around NBA players for more than a decade, I can assure you that it’s not. You make the League based on your skillset, not your willingness to box out and make the extra pass. It isn’t because players are inherently selfish, or bad teammates. It’s because winning games isn’t always the franchise’s main priority.
Ask any good organization: Winning isn’t about scoring points as much as it’s about making plays that affect winning. Those plays are often referred to as “winning” plays, an obnoxious, albeit correct, designation. Those winning plays are generally the results of habits that are forged, developed, and reinforced by both teammates and coaches.
That’s how you get a winning culture, which everyone says they want, but few organizations actually commit to as a guiding principle. Look at all the franchises who live in the lower depths of the lottery year after year. If building good habits isn’t reinforced, how is a player supposed to know they’re important? For his part, Simons was self-aware enough to understand that his time in Portland was lacking in that department.
Even after arriving in Boston with zero fanfare, or even an introductory press conference, the understated Simons came in saying all the right things. While the Celtics acquired him for his expiring salary as much as his offensive game, Simons showed up with good intentions and low-maintenance vibes. He didn’t complain about coming off the bench or his reduced workload. He acknowledged his defensive shortcomings, and vowed to try harder.
The effort on the court, however, wasn’t always up to the level of intensity his coach demanded. When the shots weren’t falling, Simons had a tendency to disappear into the background. A shadowy presence on both ends of the floor.
It’s hard to say when it started clicking. There were signs here and there that had nothing to do with scoring. The loose ball rebound, the unselfish pass, the timely rotation. All those winning plays accumulated like so much good karma, so when the time came for Simons to truly shine, the dude simply radiated points.
His ability to tilt the scoreboard quickly and efficiently separates Simons from his high-usage, instant-offense peers. Scoring 27 second half points against the Bulls on a night when none of his other teammates could make a shot offers a dimension most teams don’t have. You’re never out of a game with Simons around.
Heading into the Denver game, Simons had been on an extended heater averaging 18 points in 24 minutes on 46/51/89 shooting splits. Numbers like that get your attention, but the ancillary digits have also been strong: four assists against minimal turnovers, a couple of timely rebounds, even a steal or two.
Simons was at it again against the Nuggets. In an otherwise unsatisfying Boston performance, the microwaveable guard put up 15 on 6-for-9 shooting and nearly spun the game in the Celtics favor with one of his patented scoring bursts late in the third quarter.
Alas, the magic ran out late in a crunch time flurry of bad offense (not his fault) and worse defense (not his specialty.) There’s only so much a scoring guard like Simons can contribute to the bottom line, which is why the emerging theory that maybe Simons should be as much a part of the Celtics’ future as he is their present doesn’t really add up.
At the risk of beaming a dose of negativity into an otherwise positive story arc, I’m not buying it for the simple reason that having a one-dimensional player like Simons around long-term complicates the cap sheet and the rotation.
Simons’ expiring deal pays him over $27 million annually, which will go a long way toward either balancing the books or acquiring a viable big man. With Jayson Tatum coming back, scoring won’t be as much of a premium. Plus, Hugo Gonzalez is just about ready to play 24+ minutes with a lot of that time eventually slated for the backcourt. Hugo may never score as much as Simons, but all he does is make winning plays.
What we’re seeing from Simons is the absolute best case scenario, both for him and for the team. Even if his future lies elsewhere, his year in Boston is doing great work for his reputation around the league. Both the player and the team seem better for the experience of getting to know one another. Let’s just enjoy Simons for what he is, and worry about the rest later.