Thanks to the absences of several frontcourt rotation players, Nets starting center Nic Claxton has taken on a bigger minutes load, per Bridget Reilly of The New York Post. Across his past 13 appearances, he’s been averaging 33.7 minutes per game, a noticeable increase from the 27.5 MPG he averaged in his prior 25.
“It’s been a challenge, but it’s been a good challenge to have,” Claxton said after practice on Friday. “It’s why you put in all the work in the offseason, to be able to trust your body to play however many minutes that I need to play. I’m looking forward to also getting guys back in the near future and it will also be good to have Ben back, too.”
“You want to play minutes,” Claxton continued. “I’m not complaining. I remember when I wasn’t even in the rotation. So, now that I’m being asked to play a few more minutes than normal, like I said, that’s why you put the work in the offseason.”
Accordingly, Claxton’s counting stats have risen as of late. He’s averaging 13.8 PPG on 66.1% shooting from the field in his last 13 games to go along with 11.9 RPG, 2.5 APG, 1.7 BPG and 1.2 SPG. Those numbers have boosted his season-long averages to 12.4 PPG, 10.5 RPG, 2.0 APG, and 0.7 SPG.
Claxton is finishing up the second season of his two-year, $17.3MM contract with Brooklyn and appears to be in line for a major raise should he continue to produce at this level.
There’s more out of Brooklyn:
- Though they have struggled of late, the Nets intend to continue pushing for a spot in the postseason, observes Brian Lewis of The New York Post, in conversation with colleague Brandon London (YouTube video link). “They don’t have any intention of giving up on the season,” Lewis said. At 20-28, Brooklyn has fallen out of the East’s top 10 and would find itself on the outside of the play-in tournament bracket if the season ended today.
- In a separate piece (subscriber-exclusive link), Lewis consults with rival league scouts about which players the Nets should look to offload – and which should be retained – as the February 8 trade deadline approaches.
- Nets guard Ben Simmons weighed in on how Sixers fans react every time he visits, per Andrew Crane of The New York Post. “It’s funny to me,” Simmons said. “I got grown men pissed off and yelling at me. … It’s not that deep. It’s sports, but it comes with it so I enjoy it.” Simmons played 14 minutes during his new team’s 136-121 victory over his former team on Saturday, pulling down nine boards and five dimes. He was greeted by a chorus of boos during his limited run.
Simmons used 76ers for a max extension and then temper-tantrumed his way out the next season. He used the team, the City and its fans… and he is an idiot for saying he finds it funny.
Ben Simmons is a jerk
The Sixers should have never drafted him
Doc Rivers misused Simmons. He sucks as a coach.
Ben was worth a max extension at that time. He was ROY, 1st time AS the next season, then All-NBA 3rd team and All-Defense 1st team the next season.
Then the team, the city and its fans scapegoated him for loosing the playoffs series to the Hawks. Ben had 13 assists and played stellar defense on Trae Young (5-23 FG) in that infamous game 7.
Ben Simmons didn’t single handedly loose the series to Atlanta.
That didn’t stop Doc Rivers and Joel Embiid throwing Simmons under the bus in the post game 7 presser. That was shameful. You stand by your teammates and support them.
He requested a trade. Instead of trading him months removed from All-NBA 3rd team 76ers made Ben Simmons a public embarrassment for over a year. They gaslighted him.
I’ve never seen a pro sports team humiliate a player so badly.
For the anguish 76ers shamefully put Ben Simmons through being able to laugh about is a healthy response. With a lot of psychological counseling he’s put it behind him.
Quite possibly the most asinine take ever on this situation
Ben Simmons publicly embarrassed himself with one of tbe worst 7 game playoff performances in NBA history. But sure, let’s laud him for his stellar defense on Trae Young while Joel Embiid dragged his ass up and down the court on a shredded knee averaging 30/10.
The anguish we shamefully put on him? Dude stop. This dude is softer than a roll of charmin. He couldn’t hack it here so he cried his way out and pointed the finger at everyone else for his failures.
James Wiseman, Killian Hayes & Det’s lottery protected 2028 1st to Brooklyn for Cam Johnson
Nets just extended Cam Johnson. Now they’re going to trade him for two busts not worth their QO’s who will be non-tendered? For a protected 2028 pick? LMAO.
It is that deep, fans care, maybe you should at least act like you care as they are the ones paying for your lifestyle
The nerve of this man -child
I usually defend the villain in here but I got nothing for this BS fella