Why Anfernee Simons Was Proud of Himself After His Celtics Debut

BOSTON — Before Anfernee Simons stripped Kelly Oubre Jr. and Joel Embiid in the lane, then chased down and blocked Tyrese Maxey for one of the best defensive plays of the night in the Celtics’ opening night loss to Philadelphia, he already drew a defensive compliment from an old friend. Jabari Walker, who spent three years in Portland with Simons, texted him after one of the Celtics’ preseason games and gave him credit.

“Man, your defense looks great. You been hooping,” Walker messaged Simons.

“I’ve seen he’s been putting in more of a defensive effort,” Walker, now with the 76ers, recalled to CLNS Media on Wednesday morning. “I know that’s one of the things they called on him to improve, and so I just loved the way he took pride in that.”

“It’s gonna be a big season for both of us,” Simons responded.

Simons came off the bench during his Celtics debut and started slowly, receiving only two shots through seven first quarter minutes and finishing the first half with six points. He reached 13, highlighted by a breakout dunk, and closed the night as part of a three-guard lineup in the fourth quarter. Joe Mazzulla liked how that group spaced and created mismatches. But Simons’ defense flashed brightest. While the Sixers finished 4-of-6 from the field when guarded by Simons, he allowed only 12 points on 16 possessions, a ‘very good’ 0.75 points per possession, according to Synergy.

He told CLNS Media he came away from his first game proud of the work that put him in position to succeed on that end and the effort he showcased throughout the night. The Celtics effectively played him in a roaming and help role where he could disrupt plays, and the Sixers never got him in an isolation situation, per the tracking data. That became especially impressive when Boston went small late. The Celtics only allowed 0.90 PPP in the half court, an excellent number. Simons surviving defensively, with plenty of room to grow on offense, bodes well for him and Boston as he acknowledges he’s not fully acclimated yet. He deferred to Jaylen Brown, Payton Pritchard and Derrick White often in his first game.

“This training camp was hard for me and just bringing that intensity each and every day at practice, and doing it in the preseason games, just learning each and every time, I won’t say I’ll be perfect, but I’m making gradual improvements,” Simons told CLNS. “I think tonight, I think I did pretty well, wasn’t perfect, made some mistakes, but I showed up. I’m proud of myself about that area.”

Simons admitted he entered his first preseason in Toronto nervous about joining a new team and returning to the floor for the first time. Then, he broke out in his first appearance at TD Garden with 21 points on 6-for-9 three point shooting, showcasing the offensive burst that led the Trail Blazers’ unit in recent seasons. Simons noted during training camp that his role will return to one similar to when he played alongside Damian Lillard before his 2023 trade to Milwaukee. But that now comes with having the experience of handling the extra offensive pressure Brown and others will absorb in Boston, and the ability to take on that role when necessary.

The path to succeeding on opening night also came with humility. Simons blamed effort, in part, for his past defensive issues. He accepted jabs from Joe Mazzulla, who effectively challenged him to improve on that end or not play as often as he would like in Boston. Mazzulla also assured him that he isn’t as bad as everyone said. Then, Simons went to work, starting every day at the Auerbach Center with assistant Ross McMains taking him through film and defensive drills. The Celtics hoped they could get more out of Simons’ length, quickness and awareness on the floor than Portland did in their reads-based defense that coincidentally prepared to take more risks this year.

“It felt pretty good,” Simons said. “But overall, for the first time, new team, I think I did pretty well with it. Taking everything in and enjoying that moment … it’s gonna be an adjustment for sure. They got a lot of great players on this team, great ball-handlers on this team, Derrick, P, Jaylen, guys that can make plays, and so you’re just trusting each other and trusting them to make those plays at this time, and it might vary from night-to-night. You just always gotta be prepared to make a play and do the little things to be able to win the game.”

Walker also believed a new environment suited Simons, along with the wake-up call a trade can provide any player. He already noticed the way the Celtics utilized Simons’ quickness, fast hands and ability to slide his feet. Everyone felt out opening night, Brown involved others early, White took over into the third quarter once he hit his stride and Pritchard drew the potential game-winning shots based on how the 76ers guarded the final two plays. Pritchard took the blame for not making the right read on the first look, which he said should’ve been a pass to Simons wide open to his left.

Everyone weighed the early promising moments with the fact that the Celtics squandered a 13-point fourth quarter lead. Nobody felt too down about the first performance aside from noting a late miscommunication, foul trouble, offensive rebounding crashing angles and the general acclimation process that comes with joining a new team. Walker, among others, have reached out and reminded Simons to take things day-by-day as he goes through that process for the first time.

“I feel pretty good,” Simons told CLNS. “Obviously, not fully I would say, but I’m getting there, and I think constant communication with the coaches, players and us getting a feel of how we’re gonna play each and every night I think is gonna help out as well, just getting the live reps.”