Simmons can't help but laugh after fouling out in preseason win

MINNEAPOLIS -- Brooklyn Nets manager Steve Nash couldn't assistance but chuckle arsenic Ben Simmons walked implicit to the seat aft fouling retired successful conscionable 13 minutes during a 112-102 preseason win implicit the Minnesota Timberwolves connected Friday night.

"I said 'you mightiness arsenic good spell consecutive to the motorcycle and get immoderate conditioning,'" Nash said aft the game. "I don't deliberation helium was acceptable for the joke."

Simmons, who finished with 2 points, six assists and 2 rebounds, was successful disbelief implicit respective of the calls -- particularly the past 1 with 10:26 near successful the 3rd quarter. It was the quickest helium had ever fouled retired successful immoderate nonrecreational game, according to ESPN Stats & Information. Several of Simmons' teammates laughed connected the seat arsenic helium walked over, inactive pleading his lawsuit to anyone who would listen.

"Just talking to the refs, evidently adjusting to -- 1 nighttime you're playing against the [Milwaukee] Bucks and playing a carnal crippled and past you're playing the Wolves and it's not that physical. So you're not capable to get distant with a batch of things but wide arsenic a squad I deliberation we played great, we moved the ball. We're uncovering our identity."

Simmons had a agelong speech with authoritative Nick Buchert successful the archetypal half, which astatine 1 constituent included teammate Kyrie Irving, arsenic the brace ended up laughing by the extremity of the speech astatine what they felt was a speedy whistle.

"Obviously, I astir apt wouldn't beryllium laughing if it was the regular play but it's the preseason," Simmons said.

"Honestly, they're getting utilized to seeing definite things connected the level too," Simmons said. "But I don't mind, I mightiness arsenic good usage the fouls. I got six of them truthful I'm trying to beryllium carnal and amusement my beingness retired determination for my teammates due to the fact that I consciousness similar that's going to beryllium a large work of mine, bringing that energy, that physicality, and mounting the code for our team."

Irving said that portion helium had seen a teammate foul retired faster earlier erstwhile helium was younger, helium had ne'er seen idiosyncratic connected 1 of his NBA teams foul retired truthful quickly.

"Yeah, that was the archetypal clip [here]," Irving said. "But it's preseason. He knows helium was not needfully arsenic locked successful arsenic helium could person been, I deliberation immoderate of the calls could person gone either way. But it's a learning acquisition for him and america arsenic a team. And we were conscionable joking astir it passim the game, but evidently we wanted him to get immoderate minutes contiguous truthful we could truly grow. We inactive did, but evidently we would person liked to person Ben retired there."

Despite the speedy exit, Simmons made immoderate affirmative strides implicit the past week and helped the Nets find their violative bushed heading into Wednesday night's regular play opener against the New Orleans Pelicans. Nash noted that helium felt Simmons was "really starting to crook a country the past mates games. "After a tumultuous summertime for the organization, Irving believes the Nets are heading successful a affirmative absorption going into the regular season.

"I would sum it up successful conscionable a elemental word: Patient," Irving said of the preseason. "We came in, a batch of outer noise, had to quiescent that down, and past absorption successful connected america exemplifying to 1 different wherefore we merit to triumph each azygous night. It starts archetypal internally and past successful the squad environment.

"Just being consenting to beryllium uncomfortable, we've heard [Markieff Morris] accidental that plentifulness of times. But I deliberation it conscionable goes further than conscionable being uncomfortable, it's conscionable being consenting to beryllium flexible, to accommodate connected the fly, and larn things that volition assistance america successful the agelong tally close now."