SALT LAKE CITY — Tosan Evbuomwan could also be gentle on NBA expertise, however he’s positive profiting from the enjoying time he’s getting now.
The Nets’ new two-way participant poured in a career-high 22 factors and was even on the ground within the waning moments of their 112-111 time beyond regulation loss in Utah on Sunday.
“Amazing … always under control,” coach Jordi Fernandez mentioned. “Looks like a guy that has been there before and he’s 23. Very happy to see him, keep working with him, keep developing him. He’s doing his job.”
The Englishman drew contact and went to the road to hit go-ahead free throws within the waning seconds of time beyond regulation. However after giving up a Utah basket, the Nets had two seconds left to get off a superb look and couldn’t.
“Both plays on defense and offense didn’t work the way we wanted to,” Fernandez mentioned.
“We couldn’t get a shot off. I fumbled it. I didn’t get a shot off,” mentioned Evbuomwan, who has drawn reward from his coaches and teammates for his poise.
Ben Simmons logged 31:38 however exceeded his minutes restrict and left halfway by means of the time beyond regulation.
“I played more than I probably should have in that OT. But I wanted to win, so that’s just the competitiveness in me. So I stayed out there as long as I could. … So I tried to play that role and did what I could,” Simmons mentioned.
“We have to be responsible,” Fernandez mentioned. “Loads of instances, true rivals all the time will let you know, ‘I want to stay in.’ We talked about another gamers, you bought to avoid wasting them from themselves.
“Ben, I’m sure that if I asked him, he wanted to be in, but at the same time, we know where we started this summer. We know where we are at right now. We like the progression, and we’re going to keep doing that. We’re going to do what’s best for him, his body, first and then for the team.”
Simmons is all however sure to overlook one of many subsequent two as nicely.
He nonetheless hasn’t been cleared to play each ends of back-to-backs but with Brooklyn enjoying on the Path Blazers on Tuesday and on the Clippers in Los Angeles on Wednesday.
D’Angelo Russell missed his fourth consecutive recreation Sunday with a proper shin contusion.
Cam Johnson sat out a fifth straight with a proper ankle sprain suffered within the waning seconds of their Jan. 2 victory in Milwaukee.