Anfernee Simons is steadily rising — to the Celtics’ benefit and Joe Mazzulla’s satisfaction

Carrying a Celtics uniform has challenged Anfernee Simons in additional methods than the 26-year-old may have imagined this previous offseason.

The transition from a cemented starter in Portland to a platoon contributor in Boston — coming off the bench however anticipated to ship starter-level manufacturing — hasn’t been straightforward. Simons joined an understaffed Celtics staff, unsure about a number of issues: his contract standing, the staff’s dedication to compete, and even which jersey quantity can be out there (24 have been retired). However nothing was as unsure as Simons’ position with the staff heading into the 2025-26 Jayson Tatum-less season.

Simons embraced the unknown. In the course of the preseason, the sharpshooting guard confirmed flashes, averaging 17.7 factors and hitting 3-pointers at a 40% clip. He rapidly emerged as a candidate for the beginning lineup however finally didn’t get the nod — not as a result of a scarcity of belief, however as a result of the rotation favored Payton Pritchard as Derrick White’s working mate as an alternative, making Simons the de facto sixth man. And except for just a few bumps and bruises in the course of the acclimation course of, Simons has begun to actually discover his stride in Boston.

On Sunday, because the Celtics hosted the Magic at TD Backyard, Simons delivered a vital 23-point efficiency off the bench. He went 8-of-11 from the sphere, marking his best taking pictures evening (72.7%) to date in video games the place he tried at the very least 10 photographs, serving to Boston fend off Orlando’s comeback bid.

To Simons, the components for cooking up performances alike isn’t all that complicated.

“Truthfully, simply protecting it easy,” Simons stated after Boston’s 138-129 win. “In earlier years, that was type of my factor — easing into the sport, seeing how groups guarded me, after which turning into extra aggressive within the second half. Right here, I clearly don’t have that a lot time to ease into video games, so I’m simply taking the alternatives which might be there, being myself, being aggressive, and making the precise performs as properly.”

The Celtics got here recent off permitting Brooklyn to web its third win of the season on Friday evening, and Simons helped the staff clear up its errors. He didn’t commit a single turnover, whereas Boston as an entire completed with simply 5, tying its season-low mark.

Final Sunday, Simons performed simply 12 minutes and tried solely two photographs — each season lows — in opposition to the Clippers. His restricted enjoying time wasn’t as a result of damage; it mirrored the teaching workers’s resolution that Simons wanted a short reset. Within the two video games prior, in opposition to the Grizzlies and Sixers, Simons shot beneath 34% from the sphere, failing to offer the Celtics with the constant 3-point risk they wanted. It wasn’t trigger to panic, however sufficient to drive Simons to take a breather.

That’s a departure from how the previous seven seasons have gone for Simons as knowledgeable basketball participant.

In Portland, Simons approached the sport in a different way than he’s strived to in Boston.

“It’s for certain an adjustment,” Simons defined. “Like I stated earlier than, the previous couple of years whenever you begin and groups guard you aggressively from the bounce, you’ve obtained to take your time, learn the sport, and determine one of the simplest ways to assault it. That was my thought course of going into each recreation. Now every part is flipped, so it’s a change in the way you strategy every recreation and the way you deal with the small issues — what Joe (Mazzulla) needs me to do, what the teaching workers needs me to do, whereas nonetheless being myself.”

Simons is averaging 14.4 factors, 2.4 rebounds, and a pair of.6 assists whereas taking pictures 44.8%, together with 41.1% from three. These numbers aren’t sturdy sufficient to earn him early All-Star consideration, however Boston is extra centered on the method. Because the staff’s premier offseason acquisition, Simons’ retention — reasonably than a wage dump commerce — signaled the group’s real curiosity in him.

The Celtics watched as Simons obtained artful off the dribble in opposition to the Magic, utilizing deadly step-back 3-pointers and seizing the precise moments to show his created house into drives to the rim. By halftime, he had already reached 16 factors en path to ending as Boston’s second main scorer behind Jaylen Brown (35 factors).

“He’s enjoying his position very well,” Mazzulla stated. “I believe he’s given us every part. He’s attempting to know the system, he’s studying, he’s competing. He’s getting extra comfy coming off the bench and being aggressive instantly. Within the first few video games he was easing into it, however in the previous couple of he’s been what we want him to be. He’s completed a terrific job of that, scoring in a bunch of how.”

Simons has scored 20-plus factors in back-to-back video games for the Celtics, signaling that brighter days could also be forward as he appears to be like to show his early-season stoop right into a minor hiccup.

Boston’s scenario isn’t what Portland supplied Simons final season. The urgency to win is bigger with the Celtics, and Simons is anticipated to provide constantly, irrespective of how uncomfortable the circumstances. That adaptation isn’t seamless, even for a veteran who’s performed in over 400 NBA video games.

“Clearly, the human aspect, it’s not straightforward,” Simons stated. “Simply feeling like, what may I’ve completed higher? But additionally simply controlling the controllables and residing with the outcomes after that. That’s what I’ve been attempting to hammer down over the previous couple of video games — simply controlling the controllables and letting every part fall into place.”