Ben Simmons has enjoyed his best game of this NBA season, claiming bragging rights over Josh Giddey in the Brooklyn Nets' 120-112 defeat of the Chicago Bulls.
Targeting his first injury-free season since joining the Nets in 2022, Simmons came close to his first triple-double since last January as Brooklyn improved to 3-3 under new coach Jordi Fernandez.
The Australian flaunted his trademark ability to create for teammates en route to a game-high 11 assists. As a Net, he has only ever recorded more assists once before.
Simmons (11 assists, eight points, eight rebounds) looked especially dangerous in transition, looping a pass from the key on one end of the court to the other and helping Cam Thomas (32 points) maintain the Nets' half-time lead.
On another occasion, he charged up the court and threw a no-look pass to Dorian Finney-Smith, who put up a one-handed dunk.
"Just finding my guys, playing with force, getting into the paint and usually everything kind of finds its way," Simmons said.
"We play team basketball, it's pretty simple."
Fellow Melburnian Giddey finished with 11 points, a team-high eight assists and six rebounds, building on a solid start to life in Chicago.
Giddey moved past 3000 career points driving through the paint midway through the first quarter.
Elsewhere, Perth local Luke Travers checked in for his first NBA minutes as the Cleveland Cavaliers stretched their unbeaten start to six games with a 120-109 defeat of Orlando.
"He played his tail off, and he's so smart," said Cavs coach Kenny Atkinson.
"I mean what could this guy be? Six-eight, he can really pass, I love that he can shoot the ball without hesitation. He was fun to watch tonight."
The game had already slipped from the Magic's grasp when Travers came on for the final four minutes, but the 23-year-old wing nevertheless looked at home in Cleveland.
In Travers' biggest highlight play, he swatted Tristan de Silva away with a huge block as the Magic forward attempted to go up for a shot late.
He sank two free-throws just after coming on and cut through the paint for a two-handed dunk to finish with four points, two assists, two rebounds and a block.
The debut has been a long time coming for Travers, who was drafted to the Cavs with a second-round pick in 2022, only to return to the NBL without playing a game.
After playing Summer League with Cleveland for three straight years, Travers earned a two-way contract for the ongoing season, meaning he'll split his time between the NBA and G League.
Australia's Dyson Daniels missed a second consecutive game with a hip injury, watching on as his undermanned Atlanta Hawks suffered a 123-115 loss to the Sacramento Kings.
Boston Celtics star Jayson Tatum put up 32 points in the defending champions' 124-109 defeat of the Charlotte Hornets, who had two players ejected.
Grant Williams was given a "flagrant foul 2" for running over former teammate Tatum near the half-court, with Miles Bridges thrown out in the final seconds for receiving a second tech foul.
