Nets star Ben Simmons will not make his season debut in a do-or-die Game 4 of Brooklyn’s first-round series against the Celtics, scheduled for Monday, per Shams Charania of The Athletic (via Twitter).
It had been assumed Simmons would suit up for the Nets tomorrow, provided his recovery from a herniated disc in his back did not face any setbacks. After getting an epidural to treat his back in March, Simmons had finally taken part in his first 4-on-4 scrimmage this week and was targeting Game 4 for his Nets debut.
Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN tweets that both Brooklyn and Simmons anticipated he’d be able to hit the hardwood on Monday, but he did in fact face a setback following some scrimmaging on Saturday. According to Woj, Simmons said he woke up to a sore back on Sunday, and ultimately the club decided to keep their pricey new player sidelined for another game.
Boston currently leads the series 3-0. No team in NBA playoff history has managed to recover from that level of deficit, so from a strategic standpoint for Brooklyn, it makes sense to not throw Simmons into the fire at this point of the team’s season if he’s not 100% healthy.
Simmons had been trying to make a comeback in time to help his new club in the postseason. Brooklyn traded for the three-time All-Star in a blockbuster deadline deal with Philadelphia.
If the Nets wind up winning Game 4 at home, a fifth contest against the Celtics would be played in Boston on Wednesday.
This is hilarious. Who the PR is on this just needs to stop providing updates. They got back and forth between hes coming back soon , he’s out indefinitely, he’s out for season , he’s coming back game 4. Give it a rest !
The only thing we know about Simmons is he’s an all-time loser. Dude should just move back to Australia and play in China. He’s a bum.
Lol. This head case wasn’t coming back.
Ben has needed a backbone transplant since the Atlanta series last season, no surprise here.
#1 comment
But the nets won the trade. Lol
In their minds
Both teams lost that trade, have you seen the shell of James harden lately??
He will definitely play game 5 though, regardless of how game 4 turns out…
Griffin may play not Ben … He was just a media smoke screen distraction to avoid Nets concerns, like coaching.
He wasn’t mentally hurt when he tried to file a $20M grievance against 76ers but suddenly when he’s asked about hoops, dude becomes the most mentally fragile hypocrite I’ve ever seen.
Dude belongs in a golden dustpan. He’s in the hall of fame of a crumbs.
This has been his status for how long…?
You had a typo. I think you meant Has Ben Simmons cause that dude is a has been. What a joke of a player and yet he makes hundreds of millions. Insane.
You just green with envy as your life sucks meanwhile he is making hundreds of millions!
Ben, delete your account already. We appreciate you, but maybe just make a burner twitter account instead.
Your hate shows in every single post here, so no surprise the way you troll, have a happy day (I know you can’t with all the hate that fills you)!
You got me, Ben. All this hate that fills me …
Any recommendations on a good shrink I could see?
Yeah that’s clearly it. Okay Skip we see your burner account on here.
Why is it that ‘mute’ only seems to work on one post? It just adds a lot of work having to hit it again and again.
The lady who glued her hands to the court in Minnesota has seen the court more then little Ben this year.
LoL
anyone surprised? please raise your hand.
Sad thing is it would be better for Ben to come back in a meaningless game. If he came back in a game w something at stake the Celtics might you know … make him make a free throw under pressure?
Especially with KD and Kyrie stinking it up to an extent. If Simmons comes back and does his thing and those guys play better, guess who would get the credit for that?
Not that I care if he continues to make things worse for himself and the Nets.
The guy never wanted to go to the Nets. After he bought his Mansion in LA last off-season he demanded a trade to an LA team. Guarantee he gets his way and Nets trade him this off-season.
It would be really intriguing to see Brooklyn flip Ben to another team this summer, and acquire another, seperate star, maybe a Brad Beal?
It would be interesting for me to have a harem of beautiful 20 year olds eager to fulfill my every desire – but very, very unlikely.
Flip Ben for Beal? Ben has little to no value right now
I guess Washington we be that dumb to make that trade right????
Steve Nash sounded really dubious about Simmons getting in game 4 or even soon after. He said there were still more workout hurdles. No sign he ever approved.
Ben woke up with a sore back I’m sure… By now, a psychosomatic injury… all but ordered by the HC.
It’s the year of the marvelous light yellow hoodie.
I don’t understand why he doesnt consider surgery since the beginning of this season and solve that situation. If you are not going to play, use the time for your health. Next season he will have the same issue
At least all of his mental health concerns have been resolved.
Sure he wanted to play. HAHAHAHA! This team is imploding and the last thing they wanted to deal with is hack-a-Ben in an elimination game.