Kyrie Irving yells at Ben Simmons to shoot the ball.

The drama around the Brooklyn Nets seems neverending.

A roster featuring Kevin Durant, Kyrie Irving, and Ben Simmons fell to 1-3 after a 110-99 loss to the Milwaukee Bucks on Wednesday night.

Simmons scored just four points on 2-of-7 shooting from the field. He did dish out nine assists, but there are times when the 2016 No. 1 overall pick needs to be more aggressive instead of just being a distributor. And there was an example of this during Wednesday’s game that frustrated Irving.

In the third quarter, Irving set Simmons up for a close-range shot in the paint. The 6’10” point forward instead passed the ball back to Durant on the perimeter, and Durant took two dribbles before making a jumper.

A frustrated Irving threw his arms in the air and yelled, “Shoot it, Ben!”

It worked out, but Simmons — and any NBA player, especially ones that are 6’10” — needs to be taking shots like this (he may even be able to dunk it if he goes up strong).

Simmons sat out the 2021-22 NBA season while dealing with physical and mental health issues. He was traded from the Philadelphia 76ers to the Brooklyn Nets as part of a blockbuster deal that sent James Harden to Philadelphia.

In four games with Brooklyn this season, Simmons is averaging 5.3 points, 7.5 assists, and 5.8 rebounds.

To be a serious contender, the Nets will need Simmons, Durant, and Irving to form a three-headed monster. That will require Simmons to be much more assertive on offense and be productive as a scorer.

[Photo Credit: YES Network]

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About Matt Clapp

Matt is an editor at The Comeback. He attended Colorado State University, wishes he was Saved by the Bell's Zack Morris, and idolizes Larry David. And loves pizza and dogs because obviously.

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