"I feel good. You know, just taking it day by day," said Anfernee Simons, who has missed 76ers practices over the past week. With no preseason game reps, he expects to "find my way" over the first 20 games. Asked if he'll play in the opener: "I can't confirm or deny that."
Labaron Philon Jr. and Anfernee Simons can both play on or off the ball in the 76ers' bench unit, Simons said, and he can run the offense "if LP's running the point for a long time and he needs a break." The rookie debuts at the Garden on the defending champions' ring night.
Karl-Anthony Towns may draw a power forward, not a center, in the 76ers' Oct. 20 opener at the Knicks: Nick Nurse is weighing putting his center on Josh Hart. The upside: more switching on screens. The risk: can Towns pass, rebound, post up and shoot over a power forward?
Anfernee Simons did half-court work at 76ers practice, no scrimmaging. On playing Oct. 16, Nick Nurse said "there's certainly some hope." He wants Simons back by Oct. 20, and Adem Bona too, "if we can." Healthy, Simons is his bench guard; if not, Labaron Philon Jr. plays.
Anfernee Simons hasn't been worked into the 76ers' lineup, and Nick Nurse gave no timeline. Nurse on scoring: "Simons will provide some of that as well once we get him in there." Floated in the postgame room: Jaylen Brown with VJ Edgecombe or Simons alongside the second unit.
Nurse called Anfernee Simons "maybe a prototypical off-the-bench... scoring guy." He sees LeBron James as "a great offense creator. And I don't necessarily mean scorer." Base offense: "let's get the ball up the floor, let's attack in transition, let's hit the paint a lot."