{"id":1462304,"date":"2022-01-04T19:40:47","date_gmt":"2022-01-05T00:40:47","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/sports7.us\/?p=1462304"},"modified":"2022-01-04T19:40:48","modified_gmt":"2022-01-05T00:40:48","slug":"anfernee-simons-exploded-career-high-43-points-day-after-tragedy-struck-family","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/sports7.us\/news\/anfernee-simons-exploded-career-high-43-points-day-after-tragedy-struck-family\/","title":{"rendered":"Anfernee Simons Exploded for a Career-High 43 Points a Day After Tragedy Struck His Family"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

With no Damian Lillard or CJ McCollum in the lineup for the Portland Trail Blazers<\/a> on Monday night, 22-year-old Anfernee Simons poured in a career-high 43 points in a 136-131 win against Trae Young and the Atlanta Hawks.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Simons' career-best performance was impressive enough on its own, but it's even more commendable considering the tragic news he received just 24 hours beforehand. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Anferee Simons' career day leads the Trail Blazers to an upset victory<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
\"Anfernee
Anfernee Simons of the Portland Trail Blazers dribbles up the court against the Atlanta Hawks | Abbie Parr\/Getty Images<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Simons has averaged only 8.4 points per game over his four-year NBA career. He had recorded just one 30-point game before Monday's matchup against the Hawks. Not many casual basketball fans outside the city of Portland even know his name.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

But that's about to change.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

On Monday night, Simons exploded for 43 points on 13-of-21 from the field and 9-of-16 from beyond the arc. He also added three rebounds and seven assists in the contest. It was, by a wide margin, the best performance of his young NBA career. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

More importantly, though, Simons led the struggling Trail Blazers to a much-needed win against a superior opponent with their two best players out of the lineup. Portland now sits at 14-22 through 36 games and one game back of the all-important 10th spot in the Western Conference standings. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

This team cannot afford to throw away games at this point in the season, and Simons wasn't going to let them Monday night. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Simons dedicated the performance to his late grandfather<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
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"I dedicate this whole game to him."

Anfernee Simons' heartfelt words on his career-best 43-point game after his grandfather passed away yesterday. pic.twitter.com\/WxONxCAUqn<\/a><\/p>— NBA (@NBA) January 4, 2022<\/a><\/blockquote>