Ben Simmons is showing shades of his best to begin the NBA season, starring in Brooklyn's first win of the campaign over Charlotte.
A run of injuries hampered Simmons after he moved to the Nets last season as part of a highly-publicised trade that sent James Harden to Philadelphia.
But Simmons has appeared undaunted by the prospect of repaying Brooklyn this season and came within two assists of a triple-double in Tuesday's 133-121 road win.
Running the point, the Australian (11 points, team-high 10 rebounds, team-high eight assists) masterminded a 15-2 run that helped the Nets begin the game on the front foot.
Brooklyn never surrendered their lead, though the Hornets did cut it to single digits either side of halftime and then again in the final period.
Simmons' passing game out of trouble was especially effective at setting the Nets up in transition and it was encouraging to see him use his size to take the paint on.
"He definitely set the tone for us to start the basketball game," said Nets coach Jacque Vaughn.
"I think his physicality, his ability to push the basketball was high-level for us, getting guys open for shots.
"It's a joy to play that way. I think this team is built versatility-wise to play that way."
Simmons would likely have finished the game with his second triple-double as a Net had he not been shifted to the post late in the fourth quarter.
Brooklyn were down a big man in their rotation, with Nic Claxton still out injured.
Nets forward Cam Thomas (33 points) lauded Simmons on his start to the season.
"Him playing like this, I wouldn't say it's at his full potential yet but him getting back in stride, he's looking real good," Thomas said.
Simmons' countryman Josh Giddey shook off a poor first half of shooting to help Oklahoma City (3-1) storm home and beat the Detroit Pistons 124-112.
Often streaky from the field, the guard landed only three of ten attempts before the last change but had his eye in late.
Giddey was the game's top scorer in the fourth quarter, hitting six of eight attempts, to finish with 21 points and seven rebounds.
Elsewhere, a 41-point effort from Dejounte Murray helped Atlanta fight back from 21 points down to defeat the Minnesota Timberwolves 127-113.
The Hawks had trailed since the third minute of the first quarter until Murray got hot with 30 second-half points, shot with 85.7 per cent accuracy from the field.
After he tied the game at three-quarter time with a buzzer-beating triple, a lay-up from Murray restored the Hawks' lead in the opening minute of the final period.
They never again trailed.
"He made all kind of plays and I really liked his spirit," Hawks coach Quin Snyder said.
Nikola Jokic's second triple-double of the season helped reigning champions Denver keep their unbeaten start alive against Utah.
The Serbian centre tied LeBron James and Jason Kidd with his 107th career triple-double, putting up 27 points, 10 rebounds and 11 assists in a 110-102 win for the Nuggets (4-0).
Jokic trails only Russell Westbrook, Oscar Robertson and Magic Johnson in the all-time triple-double stakes.
