Portland Trail Blazers guard Anfernee Simons got off to another ho-hum start against the Sacramento Kings on Friday night – at least in terms of shooting the ball.

Simons only scored two points in the first half after 1-4 shooting. He dished out four assists and the Blazers led 54-50. Still, those two points were loudly silent from a $100 million man who got that payday and the nickname “Antferno” because of volcanic eruptions. He was probably on his way to being crucified by box-score vultures for another cold shooting night in a season where some of them have played an unusually 20 games.

In the second half, Simons did not respond by forcing the issue. He continued to distribute, but his shot returned after dashing drives and launches from beyond the three-point line. The end result wasn’t one of those signature flamethrower performances. Instead, Simons produced one of his most controlled and efficient games in a soft 115-106 win in Portland: 21 points, nine assists and five rebounds on 8-14 shooting from the field and 3-8 shooting from 3.

“He just had a great point guard game,” Portland head coach Chauncey Billups told reporters after the win.

Billups also used the word “proud” to describe his thoughts on Simons’ performance. He was proud of how Simons stayed on course after a difficult shooting in the first half. He was proud of his defensive effort, highlighted by two steals and a charge. And he was proud of how Simons remained effective whether the shot fell or not.

“I talk to Ant about that a lot,” Billups said. “I say, ‘You can’t be the player where the only time you play well is when you score.’ He’s so much better than that. He pulls out a lot of gravity.”

With the gravity that Simons commands, plus the way the Kings play defense by blitzing ballhandlers, Billups told Simons pregame that he probably wouldn’t score much on pick-and-rolls. He should be willing to sacrifice his points for the sake of correct reading and the trust of his teammates – something Simons did time and time again.

“I thought he did that all night,” Billups said of Simons’ willingness to pass. “Then he was able to rock them and beat the blitz, so I was proud of his overall (play).”

“He was great for us all game,” Portland guard Dalano Banton said. “Just make the simple pass, make it easy to read. … When he’s not making shots, he can still find ways to impact the game at a high level.

Simons’ altruistic performance was indicative of a balanced performance by the Blazers squad. Six players reached double figures, including three who broke into the 20s. The Blazers scored 27 assists, which is tied for their third-highest mark of the season.

Starting center Deandre Ayton scored a season-high 26 points and grabbed nine boards. Banton added 17 off the bench, including a 3-6 from deep. Simons’ starting defenseman Shaedon Sharpe also scored just two points in the first half, but he continued to attack and finished with a respectable 14 points and five assists.

Portland forward Deni Avdija continued his recent run of impressive play. Avdija scored a season-high 20 points on 7-15 shooting from the field and a refreshing 4-9 on 3s, while also producing nine rebounds, five assists, two steals and zero turnovers. After a slow attacking start, Avdija is gaining confidence and settling into his role with a new team. Avdija plays like the Swiss army knife player the Blazers envisioned when they gave up a small bevy of assets to acquire the 6-foot-1 wing this summer.

Friday’s 20-point performance extended a streak of seven straight double-digit games for Avdija while shooting above 40% from the field. During that stretch, he also averaged 7.4 rebounds and 3.7 assists per game.

“What do you think?” Billups joked back to a reporter with a laugh when asked if he’s discovered how to use Avdija better lately. “Of course, of course. I was proud of Deni, man. …We get to know each other better. We really are. Whether he starts or comes off the bench, he knows our guys. Our boys discovered him. When he rebounds, he’s like a one-man fast break.

“I’ve built a relationship and chemistry with the other guys and the coaches, and I feel like they understand how I play now,” Avdija added. “I give them better shots, they give me better shots, and I feel like it’s something I had to get used to, and it’s something that happens when you come to a new place.”

The team-wide production was why the Blazers were in good form even when Simons struggled to find the net. Once he got going in that second half, the collective weight of the Blazers’ offense sank the Kings in Portland.

“We just played for each other, we made the simple pass,” Billups said. “I always tell our guys, ‘Hit singles, man. … Don’t worry about anything, just hit singles and trust that the guy, if he gets it, will do the right thing.” I thought we did that as well this year as any other time.”