Ben Simmons enjoyed his best game this NBA season, claiming bragging rights over Josh Giddey in the Brooklyn Nets’ 120-112 loss to the Chicago Bulls.

Aiming for his first injury-free season since joining the Nets in 2022, Simmons came close to his first triple-double since last January when Brooklyn improved to 3-3 under new coach Jordi Fernandez.

The Australian showed off his trademark ability to create for his teammates en route to a game-high 11 assists. Like Net, he has only recorded more assists once.

Simmons (11 assists, eight points, eight rebounds) looked especially dangerous in transition, launching a pass from one end of the court to the other and helping Cam Thomas (32 points) maintain the Nets’ halftime lead.

Another time, he took the court and threw a no-look pass to Dorian Finney-Smith, who performed a one-handed dunk.

“I just find my guys, play hard, get in the paint and usually everything finds its way,” Simmons said.

“We play basketball as a team, it’s pretty simple.”

Fellow Melbourne player Giddey finished with 11 points, eight assists and a team-high six rebounds, building on a solid start to life in Chicago.

Giddey surpassed 3,000 career points by driving through the paint midway through the first quarter.

Elsewhere, Perth local Luke Travers played his first NBA minutes as the Cleveland Cavaliers extended their unbeaten start to six games with a 120-109 loss to Orlando.

“He played with everything and he’s very smart,” Cavs coach Kenny Atkinson said.

“I mean, what could this guy be? Six eight, he can really pass, I love that he can throw the ball without hesitation. “It was fun to see him tonight.”

The game had already gotten away from the Magic when Travers entered the game for the final four minutes, but the 23-year-old wing still seemed at home in Cleveland.

In Travers’ highlight play, he denied Tristan de Silva with a big block as the Magic forward attempted to shoot late.

He made two free throws right after entering and drove through the paint for a two-handed dunk to finish with four points, two assists, two rebounds and a block.

The debut was a long time coming for Travers, who was selected by 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 consecutive years, Travers earned a two-way contract for the current season, meaning he will split his time between the NBA and G League.

Australia’s Dyson Daniels missed a second straight game with a hip injury, watching his Atlanta Hawks suffer a 123-115 loss to the Sacramento Kings.

Boston Celtics star Jayson Tatum scored 32 points in the defending champions’ 124-109 loss to the Charlotte Hornets, which had two players ejected.

Grant Williams received a “flagrant foul 2” for running over his former teammate Tatum near midcourt, and Miles Bridges was ejected in the final seconds for receiving a second technical foul.