Nets’ Ben Simmons Lauds Celtics For Having ‘Great Individuals’

The Boston Celtics continued to roll Thursday night, adding to their NBA-best record of 31-12.

Their victory, a 109-98 defeat of the Brooklyn Nets, was a complete team effort on both ends of the floor. Jaylen Brown and Al Horford missed the matchup, but opened up opportunities for the likes of Payton Pritchard and an emerging Derrick White to step in and help lead the Celtics to a victory. Postgame, Nets forward Ben Simmons spoke about what Boston does so well.

“Coming in here and playing a team like that — that’s fun,” Simmons said postgame, per Celtics’ Taylor Snow. “You want to play the best team. The way they play, they’re very together; defensively & offensively.

“They have some great individuals, but when you put it together, they play team basketball. They know their roles, they share the ball, they’re very consistent.”

The Celtics, who roster four former NBA All-Stars, including perennial All-NBA candidates Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown, do have great individual players. Simmons should know, as he didn’t score a single point when matched up against an undermanned Boston squad, with more opportunities as Kevin Durant missed the game with a knee injury.

Simmons was his typical self as a facilitator and defender, pitching in 13 assists, nine rebounds, two steals and a block.

The Celtics and Nets will meet up again on Feb. 1 at TD Garden.