Nets guard Ben Simmons will reportedly suit up for Game 4. If he does play, how can he help Brooklyn?
Brooklyn Nets guard Ben Simmons continues to ramp up toward his return and will reportedly make his Nets debut this weekend.
Per ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski and The Athletic’s Shams Charania, Simmons should play in Monday’s Game 4 against the Boston Celtics (7 ET, TNT). Simmons was acquired by the Nets in a midseason blockbuster trade that sent James Harden to Philadelphia, but the former 76ers All-Star has yet to play in a game for his new team.
Simmons has been recovering from back pain that has been bothering him since joining the team in February.
Barring a setback, Brooklyn’s Ben Simmons plans to play in Game 4 on Monday vs. the Boston Celtics, sources tell ESPN.
— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) April 22, 2022
Brooklyn Nets three-time All-Star Ben Simmons plans to make his season debut in Game 4 vs. Boston on Monday as long as rehab remains on course, sources tell @TheAthletic @Stadium. Simmons is set to play his first game since June 2021.
— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) April 21, 2022
On Friday, Simmons told reporters he thinks suiting up for Game 4 is more realistic than doing so in Game 3 on Saturday (7:30 ET, ESPN).
“I think it’s reasonable to think that, but it’s day-to-day,” Simmons said after practice Friday. “I can’t tell you definitely Game 4, Game 3. If I could play right now, I’d be on the court.”
Since being acquired by the Nets on Feb. 10 in a blockbuster trade that sent James Harden to the Philadelphia 76ers, Simmons has been dealing with back soreness. The No. 1 overall pick in the 2016 draft, Simmons hasn’t played since the 76ers fell to the Atlanta Hawks in last season’s Eastern Conference semifinals.
In mid-March, Simmons had an epidural in hopes it would improve his back pain and relieve some of the irritation he has suffered with the injury.
The Nets are down 2-0 in the first-round series and have struggled to contain Celtics All-Star forward Jayson Tatum, who is averaging 25 points, five rebounds, nine assists and 1.5 blocks per game while shooting 41.7% on 3-pointers. Simmons’ addition to the Nets’ lineup — even if it comes with a minutes limit — would likely help Brooklyn slow down Tatum given Simmons’ defensive chops.
Boston’s top-rated defense on Kevin Durant and the Nets was on full display in Wednesday’s Game 2 victory.
“I don’t want to put too much on Ben. He hasn’t played basketball in this environment for a long time, so it’d be amazing to have him back and to incorporate him into our group on the floor,” Nets coach Steve Nash said Friday. “Obviously we know he gives us size and speed and playmaking and defense and rebounding and all those things that are helpful, but we’ll just have to see how he progresses and not put too much pressure on him coming back.”
Simmons said he won’t make any predictions about how well he can play after his long layoff, but he insists he wants to try, even with so much rust at such an important time.
“Body-wise, once my body is ready, I want to be able to help this team win. That’s what I’m here for, so I mean, it is what it is,” Simmons said. “I’ve got to get on the floor and help this team win. I’ve been traded to the Brooklyn Nets and that’s what they need me to do.”
Simmons said his basketball IQ can help him fit in with a team he hasn’t even fully practiced with, and the Nets hope his body will allow that. Teammate Patty Mills, a fellow Australian, said it was hard to compare the circumstances of Simmons’ debut with anything else he could recall.
“But I mean, we’ve been through some pretty crazy stuff this year,” Mills said. “I don’t think this is any different to that and it’s one of those things where we’re here and this is what we have, so let’s make the most of it.”
Information from The Associated Press was used in this report.