Brooklyn Nets: Player grades from getaway win over 76ers
By Phil Watson
PF/C. Brooklyn Nets. RONDAE HOLLIS-JEFFERSON. A. 30 MIN, 21 PTS, 9-for-14, 6 REB (1 ORB), 3 AST, 2 PF, +27
Sunday night marked season-highs for Rondae Hollis-Jefferson both with 30 minutes played and 21 points scored, and his plus-27 rating was the team’s best.
Hollis-Jefferson was active defensively, as always, whether he was taking on Dario Saric, Mike Muscala or Joel Embiid — giving up size to all — and in the second half, he exploded offensively, going 7-for-9 and scoring 14 points.
It was his best showing since returning from an offseason hip injury and by far his most impactful — his previous season-high of 16 points came in a blowout loss to the New York Knicks last month.
He appears to be back to 100 percent with both his health and his rhythm and that can’t be anything but good for the Brooklyn Nets.
B+. 29 MIN, 11 PTS, 4-for-6 (3-for-4), 1 REB (1 ORB), 3 AZST, 2 PF, 1 STL, 1 TO, +14. SF/PF. Brooklyn Nets. JOE HARRIS
Ho-hum. Just another 3-for-4 night from 3-point range for Joe Harris.
Yeah, when efficiency like that becomes routine, you know you’re going good. Harris is the NBA’s leading 3-point shooter at 60 percent (30-for-50) after Sunday night’s performance and is an even-more-ridiculous 29-for-43 (67,4 percent) since going 1-for-7 in the season opener.
Harris also did a fair job guarding the bigger Ben Simmons on the defensive end, helping to harass the reigning NBA Rookie of the Year into five turnovers even in the midst of an 8-for-11, 20-point night with 12 rebounds.
Simmons’ biggest value to the 76ers is setting up teammates and that was something Harris and the Brooklyn Nets took away. Simmons had only three assists and All-Star center Joel Embiid was limited to 64 touches — well below his average of 78.9 per game.