Anfernee Simons making the Trail Blazers fun again

Published 12:00 am Monday, January 10, 2022

Thanks mostly to 22-year-old Anfernee Simons, the Trail Blazers are suddenly watchable.

In fact, when Simons is on the floor, it’s almost becoming must-see basketball.

After missing a Jan. 13 loss at Denver to attend his grandfather’s funeral, Simons had 31 points and 11 assists, two steals and only two turnovers in the win at Washington.

After that Jan. 15 performance, Simons was averaging 28.3 points and 8.2 assists in his previous six games. Against Washington, he made 7 of 10 3-pointers, then, when the Wizards started double-teaming him, he fed Jusuf Nurkic for a series of layups and dunks.

You can bet Portland fans aren’t alone in noticing the maturation of the fourth-year professional, which could make for some challenging decisions for interim GM Joe Cronin as the Feb. 10 trade deadline approaches. With Damian Lillard, CJ McCollum and Norman Powell established guards, the Blazers have plenty of backcourt talent. The question is: Who might they move to address weaknesses — the ability to get stops with a game on the line, for example?

Simons will be a restricted free agent after this season, which means the Blazers can match any offer from another team. On the other hand, his youth, and the fact that he’s not — yet — making the money of his veteran backcourt mates, could make Simons an especially attractive trade piece. As Jason Quick noted in The Athletic, Neil Olshey was never going to part with Simons. How Cronin and recently-hired assistant GM Andrae Patterson evaluate Simons’ place in the long-range planning is a mystery that adds intrigue to the weeks ahead.

In the meantime, Blazers fans can enjoy the show. Simons was returning home on Martin Luther King Day to play in front of family and friends as the Blazers visit Orlando. Simons was just in Florida for his grandfather’s funeral.

Of the funeral, he said that he wants to play well to bring some joy to his family at a time of grief.

What’s ahead: The Blazers’ extended road trip continues with games at Miami on Wednesday, Jan. 19, at Boston on Friday, Jan. 21, and at Toronto on Sunday, Jan. 23. Portland then hosts Minnesota on Tuesday, Jan. 25, and Dallas on Wednesday, Jan. 26 — the only two home games in a stretch of 12 contests.

What’s behind: The big news last week was Damian Lillard choosing to have surgery on the core injury he has struggled with, a decision that makes sense for both Lillard and the team. … Prior to six straight on the road, the Blazers posted one of their more notable wins of the year, beating the Brooklyn Nets 114-108 in a rescheduled game on Jan. 10 at Moda Center. Simons led the way with 23 points and 11 assists … With Simons at his grandfather’s funeral, a loss at Denver on Jan. 13 was no surprise. But giving up 140 points and losing by 32 (140-108) in a game televised nationally on TNT? That performance had the broadcasters discussing the “tanking” strategy for teams clearly not ready to compete for a championship. … In the Jan. 15 win at Washington — only the third on the road through 18 away games — Simons scored 26 of his 31 points in the first half. Jusuf Nukic finished with 23 points and 14 rebounds, Nassir Little had 18 points and Robert Covington 15. Up 16 with 6:55 remaining, the Blazers saw the Wizards get within four in the final minute. Washington was without Bradley Beal and coach Wes Unseld Jr. because of COVID-19 protocols. But, hey, when you’ve struggled for success on the road the way the Blazers have, any win is worthy of toasting. Coach Chauncey Billups called the win at Washington “a good, well-rounded win for us” emphasizing that smart defense led to better offense for his Trail Blazers.