Ben Simmons forced his way out of a hostile environment in Philly only to warm the Nets bench. The former ROTY is yet to make his debut with the final regular-season night fast approaching. Brooklyn spiraled down in 2022 after a steady position at the #1 spot in the eastern conference until January.
This Sunday Brooklyn Nets will play their final regular-season game and Ben Simmons will not suit up for the team. Currently, on a 3-game win streak, the Nets do not want to lose the matchup against Indiana Pacers. Otherwise, they will risk giving up the home-court advantage to the Cavaliers in the play-in tournament.
Ben Simmons is unlikely to return for the play-in tournament
The speculation surrounding Ben’s back issues and eventual return are massive. Although Steve Nash presents timely updates, there is no return schedule for the young guard. He was traded to the Nets before the all-star break but the ramp-up process was more than he could handle.
A herniated L-4 disk has kept the Australian star from NBA action since the James Harden trade that landed him alongside Kevin Durant and Kyrie Irving. According to Brian Lewis, Ben is unlikely to suit up for his team in the play-in tournament next week. However, with Irving back permanently the Nets will have no qualms in clinching the 7th seed.
NBA INJURY ALERT: Nets PG/SF Ben Simmons (back) will miss the rest of the regular season, and it is “unrealistic” that he will be available for the play-in game, per @wojespn. pic.twitter.com/C5p3uCzPTm
— DK Nation (@dklive) April 4, 2022
However, a recent video of Ben knocking down shots has emerged from the Nets’ practice facility. Fans in Brooklyn are excited to see how Simmons will fit into this healthy Nets team.
Ben Simmons. ????????
— Hoop Central (@TheHoopCentral) April 10, 2022
Having Ben back in the playoffs can be a positive as he will be the unpredictable factor for the opponents. However, this can very well be a disadvantage for the Nets as they themselves don’t know how Ben will perform after sitting out 7 months. If the practice facility video is any indication of that, then the Eastern Conference teams have legitimate reasons to fear the Nets.