Mikal Bridges' Nets Debut vs. 76ers Praised by Fans; 'Opposite Vibes' of Ben Simmons

Mikal Bridges had a debut to remember for the Brooklyn Nets, even in a loss. Ben Simmons had another night to forget.

Bridges impressed in his first outing for his new team since being acquired in the Kevin Durant trade, leading the Nets' with 23 points in a 101-98 loss against the Philadelphia 76ers on Saturday.

Joel Embiid put up 37 points and 13 rebounds for the Sixers, while James Harden added 29 points, six rebounds and six assists.

While Bridges picked up the scoring slack for a team suddenly without the superstar duo of Durant and Kyrie Irving, both who were traded ahead of Thursday's deadline, Simmons not only offered a measly four points in 16 minutes but was also brought off the bench once again.

The contrast between Bridges making an immediate impact and Simmons—once considered a budding star but now a glorified role player in Brooklyn—yet again failing to make much of a mark on the game didn't go unnoticed by NBA Twitter:

In many ways, Saturday's game was a fascinating microcosm of how the careers of Bridges and Simmons have slowly followed opposite trajectories.

Bridges was a role player throughout the majority of his time in Phoenix but stepped up his level of play this season as the Suns dealt with injuries and now might be the top scoring option for these Nets. It wouldn't be a shock if he established himself as a true difference-maker, a huge need for a Brooklyn team lacking star power.

Simmons, meanwhile, hit the NBA as a presumed superstar-in-the-making and was long considered Embiid's running mate in Philadelphia, only to fall out of favor and find himself now as nothing more than a role player in Brooklyn.

Ideally, Bridges would continue his ascension and Simmons would regain some of his mojo from earlier in his career. Both of them at their best might have led to a win on Saturday. Only Bridges showed up.