Ben Simmons' Nets' debut totals revealed

Ben Simmons looked like a guy who hadn't played in an NBA game since June 20, 2021, when he took the floor on Monday night opposing his old squad, Philadelphia.

Ben Simmons first game in Nets uniform:

6 PTS
4 REB
5 AST
1 STL
3-6 FG
0-2 FT

in 19 minutes. pic.twitter.com/89cKqr2wme

— StatMuse (@statmuse) October 4, 2022

With no Harden or Embid on the floor, the Sixers outscored the Nets 42-26 in opening quarter.

Attention #Nets fans the preseason opener is upon us! Catch up on 55 years of the franchise's journey from Teaneck to Brooklyn! Message us for a signed author copy! #nba #NetsWorld #netslevel pic.twitter.com/qNtHG1ZgGf

— Nets Insider (@NetsHistory) October 3, 2022

Simmons was active on the boards and a willing passer, but misfired on both his free throw attempts and missed all his shot attempts outside the paint. The results were pretty much as expected for a player who has struggled to hit shots consistently from the field, but makes plays for others. 

 All told, the Nets were outplayed by Sixers reserves, but Simmons was able to shake off the rust as Brooklyn narrowed the gap to three points by halftime. 

 Head coach Steve Nash indicated that he won't need Simmons to shoot from the perimeter or do anything outside his comfort zone as the Nets have several prolific scorers on the roster to power their offense.