The Nets will face the Celtics next Thursday in their first game after the All-Star break. Don’t expect Kevin Durant to be in uniform for that game, according to Brian Lewis of the New York Post. Coach Steve Nash said Durant will be eased back into action from his knee injury.
“I’m not like, ‘He’s going to play right when the break ends.’ There’s obviously a small chance, but we want to be really careful because a setback would be tough when there are 20 or so games left,” Nash said. “We don’t want to jeopardize there and have a setback where he misses another six to 12 games, so I think we’ll be cautious coming out of the break. There’s a chance he could play, but I think it’s more likely that we don’t get our hopes that he’s going to play the first game out of the break.”
Durant hasn’t played since January 15.
We have more on the Nets:
- It’s been two weeks since reports revealed that Joe Harris was mulling a second ankle surgery. Nothing has changed in that regard, Lewis notes in the same story. “I think everything’s on the table at this point,” Nash said. “We hope that he comes back, but we have no idea where this is going to go at this point.”
- New New York City mayor Eric Adams agrees with NBA Commissioner Adam Silver that current city rules barring Kyrie Irving from playing home games, while opposing players don’t face the same sanctions, are unjust, Sam Raskin of the New York Post writes. “First of all, I think the rule’s unfair. I believe that we are saying to out-of-town athletes that they can come in and not be vaccinated, yet New York athletes do have to be vaccinated,” Adams said. However, Adams is concerned about “sending the wrong message” by lifting the sanctions altogether for fear of another outbreak.
- Veteran point guard Patty Mills hasn’t been teammates with Ben Simmons for very long but senses that his fellow Australian is hungry to reestablish himself, Nick Friedell of ESPN relays. “His demeanor and his desire not only to get back on the floor but make a significant impact — he’s got a lot of, I believe, fire built up underneath him that has a desire to get back and be the player that he is, and even get better, and even grow and even develop,” Mills said. “And that’s one thing that I’m excited to be in the same room and locker room as him to do my part to help him develop and help him grow and help in any way possible there.”
Kyrie will definitely be playing in Barclays Arena come playoff time, that much just became even more obvious with Adams’ comments.
Or another thought is they don’t care where they’re seeded because they’d rather have 4 out of the 7 games on the road?
Ben Simmons has never been hungry to change or do what is best for the team. Even before the whole drama of this year and the end of last season, remember what he was like under Brett Brown. Brett simply asked him to ATTEMPT just ONE three pointer a game. You know what happened? “Sources” leaked to journalists like Jackie MacMullan that even saying something like that openly upset Ben and would “only make Ben more reluctant to attempt such a thing.”
If you’ve ever watched Ben play then you would know that his whole game is predicated on doing what’s best for the team. He plays multiple positions defensively & offensively, he’s an extremely willing passer & his presence on the court immediately makes his team much better. You clearly don’t remember what he was like when playing for Brown, he was ROY & led his team to their first postseason in yrs. The fact that you would listen to Jackie McMullan at all or listen to what she says over Ben says everything worth saying. She’s clearly not on the side of a guy like Ben. Check her history
Simmons was a solid contributor but if anything Embiid led that team in that season and each successive season to the playoffs. Yes the 76ers were a better team with Simmons on the floor but it’s always been an awkward fit.
While Simmons does contribute to winning basketball his role shouldn’t have been as the primary facilitator that was why they drafted Fultz and traded for Butler.
While his floor is extremely high he has never improved and gotten better.
First off, they went to the post season in a weak East and you act as if Embiid wasn’t there. Second, if he was about doing what is best, how come Embiid over the past 3 seasons developed a good 3 point shot to accommodate him yet he never attempted more than like 3 3 pointers in a season? How come if he was about what is best for the team did he clash with Jimmy Butler? And the reason I listed Jackie Mac, a HoF reporter btw, is she was one of many people with inside sources on what he was thinking. I could list Tim Bontemps or Zach Lowe too. And you say he plays multiple positions defensively. Besides playing a point forward/dunker spot guy who refused to run around without the ball, tell me all the offensive versatility he had.
Pretty sure Black Ace is from the Philly Area… I’d say hes watched Ben Simmons.
@Sankara
What does all that have to do with the fact that his coach asked him to just ATTEMPT a 3pt shot but he’s still reluctant? How’s he going to get better if he doesn’t try on-court?
With Durant and Kyrie Simmons doesn’t have to score. He just has to defend and distribute. I could see him having a role much like an Uber athletic Draymond. Wouldn’t be surprised if he averaged around 9ppg/8rpg/7apg
Simmons still can’t finish at the rim,still can’t hit a free throw still fears the game and will still be sitting at crunch time .
Most of what you said is true but he always able finish at the rim with the best of them. He just got gun shy.
Mental Illness Miraculously Cured…Story at 11.
These #@^%&!* comments over and over again.
Don’t be salty. He showed up there Instantly. Like he was freaking respawned there. Ready to go and then forgot he made up mental illness ish and was like oh yea um “I need to get prepared mentally now” which will be right after the AS break for appearances sake. You don’t need a PhD or be freaking Sherlock Holmes to sleuth that one out.
Does Ben get his money from the Sixers for the missed games?
Let’s hope he does, I mean PHI did embarrass themselves enough as to add not paying their players, that just would take the cake, right?
@ElDon
pay him to what? fake mental illness? and we know it’s fake when he said he would play ANYWHERE other than Philly and just after the trade he states almost literally, my mental health will be fixed by after the all-star game.
I just want to see Ben at the 3 n 4. He and KD can make a serious duo at those positions. Interchangeable there. Never have we seen that.
I agree with mandates should affect all who play in NY. Seems ironic to allow away players to play. Not like they won’t carry the virus. I see changes coming. Just in time for Nets to make a playoff run.
Imagine Nets -vs- Sixers in playoffs …….
Absolutely, would love to see that :)
“Never have we seen that” Except when Draymond and Durant where both played for the Warriors or when Hayward and Tatum played in Boston or when Bird and McHale played in Boston or….
I just want to se his b**** a** drive down the lane and get swatted by Embiid and then he does the Motumbo finger wave.
The fire built up under him better warm up his shooting skills. I hope he doesn’t see a penny of any of his lost salary.