It’s been a while since Drew Timme became the talk of college basketball thanks to his performances in March Madness playing for Gonzaga. Since then, Timme went undrafted and had to fight his way into the NBA by playing for three different NBA G League teams in as many years. With the Brooklyn Nets out of playoff contention and the 24-year-old center having solid performances with the Long Island Nets, his opportunity finally came against the Los Angeles Clippers.
Timme Time
"Now, it’s like I’m in 2K facing these players," Timme said after playing against James Harden and Kawhi Leonard in his NBA debut. Despite the star power, Timme held his own, recording an 11-point, 10-rebound double-double. He also became just the fifth player in franchise history to record a double-double in their NBA debut.
"I’m just trying to enjoy it. You only have your first game once, so I’m extremely happy after having to battle in the G League the entire season." He also highlighted Tyson Etienne, who made his NBA debut and recorded 8 points in the final quarter of play.
Clippers end
The Nets fell to the Clippers 132-100, extending their losing streak to six games and sealing their absence from the playoffs. We shouldn't be surprised to see more of Drew Timme in the final games of the regular season. For the Clippers, Kawhi had a massive first half with 25 points and finished with 31, while Ivica Zubac recorded a double-double with 21 points and 12 rebounds.
Another notable story of the game was Ben Simmons' return to Brooklyn after agreeing to a buyout and signing as a free agent before the NBA trade deadline. Simmons finished the game scoreless, and the fans in the arena didn't greet him warmly— the Nets didn’t even show a thank-you graphic for him on the jumbotron, as they have for other returning players.