Ben Simmons got his best game of the season in the Brooklyn Nets’ victory over the Chicago Bulls, finishing with eight points to go with a game-high eight rebounds and eleven assists. The Australian playmaker still needs to do a lot more to return to his previous star level, but this was a step in the right direction.

“I think the reps are the most important thing to me,” Simmons said after the match. “The more reps I do, the better I’ll get.”

Friday’s game was Simmons’ best performance of the season so far, and not just on the stat sheet. The Nets guard was aggressive throughout the game, something he struggled to do after the first halves this year, and he was a notable asset in terms of defense and facilitation.

Simmons has been able to count on the trust of first-year head coach Jordi Fernández this season. Fernández started the former first overall draft pick in every game Simmons was available. The 41-year-old Spaniard also praised Simmons in his public comments, although he is request his leader to be more aggressive as a scorer.

“I want those (shot) attempts to reach 10 to 15 attempts per game,” Fernández said previously. “I don’t want him driving to overtake.”

Simmons’ role with the Nets this season has been slightly different than in previous years. He is still asked to push in transition and organize his team, but he plays the role of screener and roller more often in the half court.

While he’s often Brooklyn’s point guard on the court, he’s also often their center — especially since the team’s starting five regulars this season have been Simmons along with Dennis Schröder, Cam Thomas, Cam Johnson and Dorian Finney-Smith. Finney-Smith takes possessions by defending the other team’s bulk, but Simmons had to do that as well. It’s been an adjustment for the former first-team All-Defensive member.

“It’s the NBA — guys are going to score — but I’m just trying to make it difficult for guys while still keeping that intensity,” Simmons said. “I think it’s a little different when you start (on) a physical guy in the five-man and then move to a guard, so just be aware of that.”

The Nets guard must build on this performance. Simmons thinks that will come with more time on the field. He also knows he has to turn the ball over less.

“Turning the ball over for me, it’s like I look at it as a negative and a positive,” Simmons said. “Obviously you don’t want to turn the ball over, but you learn from your mistakes, and hopefully I’ll continue to do that the more games I have… with these guys.”

The 6-foot-10 point guard is currently listed as questionable (lower back injury management) for the Nets’ Sunday afternoon game against the Chicago Bulls, which is the first of a back-to-back for Brooklyn. The Nets host the Memphis Grizzlies on Monday night.

Simmons, whose last two seasons ended due to back-to-back back injuries, will not play back-to-back for now, according to coach Fernández. He was already managed against the Denver Nuggets earlier this season.

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