Trail Blazers' Anfernee Simons: Plays 21 minutes in return

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Simons (illness/hand) logged eight points (2-7 FG, 1-3 3Pt, 3-3 FT), two rebounds and one steal in 21 minutes Friday in the Trail Blazers' 116-88 loss to the Rockets.

Though Simons' minutes were limited in his return from a three-game absence due to an illness and a right hand sprain, the light playing time had more to do with the Rockets turning the game into a blowout by the end of the third quarter. Simons checked out of the game with 4:38 left in the third and didn't play at all in the fourth, but he should see his minutes rise if the Trail Blazers are able to be more competitive with the Rockets in a rematch Saturday in Houston. Though Simons should re-emerge as one of the Trail Blazers' top scoring options before long, efficiency remains a concern for the young guard, who is converting on just 37.8 percent of his field-goal attempts and 30 percent of his three-point tries through 13 outings on the season.