To explode, Anfernee Simons went into “sponge mode” | NBA

If the Blazers are certainly not ideally placed in the race for the playoffs in the West (10th place, with 25 wins and 34 losses), they can at least rejoice in one thing: the emergence of Anfernee Simons , who took full advantage of the injuries of Damian Lillard and CJ McCollum.

Selected in 24th position in the 2018 Draft, the 22-year-old “combo guard” therefore needed three full seasons to finally meet the expectations placed on him, almost four years ago. Constantly encouraged by his teammates and his franchise, he ended up becoming this crazy scorer, à la Damian Lillard and CJ McCollum. A role in which many imagined him to shine.

And the arrival of Chauncey Billups on the bench of Portland, instead of Terry Stotts, is at the origin of the explosion of Anfernee Simons, to listen to the main interested party. That we see more liberated on the ground.

” He helps me a lot “, he admits, for The Athletic, concerning his proximity to the MVP of the 2004 Finals. We communicate constantly. Before the start of the season, we agreed on how I wanted to be coached and how he was going to coach me. In the beginning, there was just a simple connection between us. Now we have built a great relationship. He can tell me anything, anyhow, because I’m always listening. We therefore exchange on the aspects in which I have to improve, on what he sees and on what I see. It’s amazing that he’s in his first year as a coach and that he’s been so successful, while advising me and helping me get through it individually.“

Pupil Simons learned his lessons well

For three years, Anfernee Simons therefore remained “incubator”, within a team constantly qualified for the playoffs since 2014, to grow in the shadow of Damian Lillard and CJ McCollum. Two referenced players at the lead and at the back, which allowed him to acquire good habits, on and off the court.

” I could observe [Damian Lillard] and CJ [McCollum]the way they behaved every night, on and off the pitch, the things they said “, he explains, about what his two mentors taught him. ” But also lots of little things, like never lowering your head in a match, never showing signs of frustration. It shows your team that you’re still in it, that you have your head on your shoulders. This is what I was able to observe in them and, above all, they did not stop telling me how to behave, how to remain calm in any situation, good or bad.“

Inevitably, by observing and drawing on everyone’s advice, Anfernee Simons inevitably modeled his game on theirs. And in particular that of Damian Lillard, his privileged training partner, with whom the similarities are obvious. Like on this successful shoot in Memphis, a week ago.

” It comes from all the time I spent with him in training, during the offseason. “, delivers the one who went from 7.8 to 17.0 points on average, between 2020/21 and 2021/22, concerning this famous “sidestep” at 3-pts. ” I was able to learn what effective ‘moves’ were, so I just wanted to add them to my arsenal and be able to replicate them, in case I needed to. In this case, it’s a very, very difficult shot to defend. And I needed it in Memphis.“

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IDP8PV9R_IU

Increased responsibilities, of course

Among the best progresses of the season, and therefore in the running for the MIP 2022 trophy, Anfernee Simons was led to win faster than expected in responsibilities. It must be said that the successive absences, then combined, of Damian Lillard and CJ McCollum propelled him into a leading role in attack in Portland.

For the time being, he is doing quite well at this level, within these largely reworked Blazers. Before the “All-Star break”, the men of Chauncey Billups had won four games in a row.

While CJ McCollum, one of the basic men of the Portland locker room, nevertheless left just two weeks ago, after months of incessant rumors.

” He’s been there since the beginning of my career and he was [à Portland] for nine years “Recalls Anfernee Simons, who is coming to the end of his rookie contract this year, because he was close to his now ex-teammate. ” Seeing him leave made me feel weird, because he was one of those players that we never expected to see leave one day. It was also weird to see him the next day playing in a Pelicans jersey. But I’m obviously glad he was able to land where he wanted to be.“

Especially since the departure of CJ McCollum leaves him the field free in the “backcourt” of the Blazers, alongside Damian Lillard. A Damian Lillard who nevertheless still does not know when he will be able to play again, but who still wants to win in Oregon…