Although the Blazers have replaced the manager with Billups this season, the team's record is still not satisfactory when the schedule has been almost halfway through, the house leaks in the overnight rain, the Blazers, who have not been smooth, can be said to be the worst performance of Lillard's career because of an abdominal injury, and the second boss CJ has been absent for a month because of a rib injury. The two cores of the backcourt have been plagued by injuries, and the young players in the squad have been given ample opportunities to show. Earlier in the Blazers and Hawks game, in the case of CJ and Lillard, Anfine Simmons took on the team's offensive banner, the first 38 minutes of the game, 21 shots 13 of the record recorded a career-high 43 points, 3 rebounds and 7 assists, in the hawks under the flutter of the Hawks young master Trae Young, did not fall behind.
Simmons, 22, is 1.91 meters tall and has an arm span of 2.06 meters, which makes him not suffer even if he is a player in the No. 3 position, and he has been playing for this team since he was selected by the Blazers with the 24th pick in the first round of the draft in 2018. However, in the squad, Lillard, CJ, the two double guns sit, even if Simmons has good potential, can only be firmly suppressed by them, in fact, according to Simmons' strength, if the change of team to play a start is more than enough, but also came to the Blazers such a crowded team in the backcourt, and last season in addition to the double gun, and came a Dwight Powell who also needs the ball, Simmons wants to turn over, it will be more difficult.
And this season benefited from CJ injury, Lillard is not in good shape, Simmons also seized the opportunity, under the full trust of the new coach Billups, to take on the team's offensive banner, as of now, Simmons averaged 12.9 points, 2.6 rebounds and 2.3 assists per game, shooting 43.5% at the same time, three-point shooting rate is also as high as 39%. The reason why he was able to score a career-high 43 points today is definitely not accidental, in the case of the previous playing time is fully guaranteed, Simmons was able to cut 20+ points, this time the double blessing of playing time and ball rights, but also created his career night.
Simmons' rookie contract will expire this summer, if the Blazers' double gun is still not dismantled, Simmons can continue to stay in Portland, but if the double gun is still in the lineup, switching to other teams, for Simmons may be the wisest choice, according to his current age advantage and scoring potential, the next contract can at least come to tens of millions of annual salary, and can go to a team in the middle and lower reaches of the strength, as a starter, Simmons is not without a chance to make himself an All-Star in the future.