Proving he can handle contact will be the next step for Ben Simmons in his comeback attempt, writes Brian Lewis of The New York Post. Simmons, who hopes to return at some point during the Nets‘ first-round series against the Celtics, is expected to start 1-on-1 workouts next week, tweets ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski. A source close to Simmons told Lewis that the team wants to “see him bang to see how the back holds up.”
“Clearly to play in an NBA game you’ve got to have some contact and play the game a little bit,” coach Steve Nash said. “Clearly he’s improving. But I have no idea if he’s getting close to play or not. He’s still on his individual program, still working through his rehab and 1-on-0 stuff. … He does some running, but no sprinting.”
Simmons told reporters who attended today’s practice to “make sure you get this” before throwing down a dunk, showing that his back pain has lessened, Lewis adds. The Nets haven’t decided if Simmons will have to go through all the normal progressions before being cleared to play, but Nash said his presence has been uplifting.
“It’s great to have him on the floor,” he said. “He has plenty of time since he’s been here he hasn’t been able to be on the floor, so just being able to feel the ball and touch the floor a little bit is positive.”
There’s more from Brooklyn:
- In a separate story, Lewis looks back at the 48 hours leading up to the five-player deal that brought Simmons to the Nets. Chances of the trade appeared remote until James Harden started dropping hints that he wanted out of Brooklyn, and it sped up rapidly when Nets owner Joe Tsai and Sixers owner Josh Harris got involved.
- Kyrie Irving is used to being booed in Boston and he promises it won’t affect his performance in the playoff series, Lewis adds in another piece. Irving’s relationship with Celtics fans has been filled with animosity since he left the team as a free agent in 2019. “I don’t want to focus on anything other than what’s going on with our team, don’t want to focus on the fans, don’t want to focus on any extra stuff outside of my control. The environment is going to be the environment,” Irving said.
- Irving continues to defend his choice on the COVID-19 vaccine that cost him a major part of the season, per Nick Friedell of ESPN. “I can really say that I stood firm on what I believed in, what I wanted to do with my body,” Irving said. “I think that should be not just an American right, I think that should be a human right.”
Too true, too true Kyrie it is your right & folks must respect you, no one & I repeat no one has the right not to respect you for that!
No one HAS to respect him, at all. But it is his right to make the choices that he makes. Doesn’t mean that you have to respect the choice or the man.
Exactly! Thank you Chris.
Not when he takes everyone down with him
That is gotta be one of the funniest things ever, Kyrie lives totally rent free in the heads of the BOS fans, hilarious, right?
That they have such animosity towards him is a big win for him, total loss for the fans!
Yeah because he lied to the fan base, got pissy when people didnt kiss his foolish ass, and then quit in the Milwaukee series, in which Giannis and the Bucks clowned him on national television.
BTW didnt Kyrie go to the center of the Celtics court and start that little spat?
Sounds like the more accurate statement is that Boston is in Kyrie’s head. not vice versa.
This is the best matchup of the 1st rd. Should be fun. Celtics will miss Williams.
Honestly wish i never found this site, there are some very sad individuals who only post comments talking down on players and other people, and for what? Do yall even watch basketball? Or do you just come here to be a b!%#&?
^^^ Talking down on people to show that talking down on people is wrong
^^^ making absolutely no point and thinking you did something.
He is saying you should probably not insult people for insulting other people…
Pretty easy to understand.
As a matter of fact, I’m a sad Lakers fan who stopped watching basketball in December.
Ha! Get used to it. Half or more of posts on these sports blogs are used by those who want to hear themselves talk & they are always right. Now, of course, they take umbrage if anyone contradicts them. If anyone does, they attack, quickly down to a personal level. So these blogs provide closure of some sort. Go Celtics!
You’ll get use to it. Most of them don’t know ball. So ignore them. 80% here just want to talk ball.
I donot see any example so far of this complaint, except the complaint about this nonexisting complaint, then this one.
What is the connection to watching games? Irving played great, like he had fresh legs. Should have won, but game 1 can be overcome.
Kyrie Irving is used to being booed in Boston
LOL…. Boooo ….. LOL
If Celtics fans want to get in his head, cheer for Kyrie and shout ‘we love you’
“Proving he can handle contact will be the next step for Ben Simmons”
Very true
“see him bang to see how the back holds up.”
ok
Shame the old Pistons “Bad Boys” aren’t around, they would’ve banged him
Still can’t hit a free throw, still wont shoot a open look,still on the bench at crunch time.
This Ben drama is worse the a Bad Novela lol. Why must we keep writing about it.
Nets don’t need Ben to beat the Celtics. Let’s enjoy this series.
KD and Kyrie are about to school Tatum and Jalen. On who the dynamic duo is in the NBA. It’s Game Time ………
KY should get a one game suspension for giving a mid finger to C fans …
Looks like Ky already failed at ignoring the fans!