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The Brooklyn Nets at one point this season were the number one seed in the Eastern Conference. But an 11-game losing streak that occurred in February has the team in the 8th spot and fighting to stay out of the play-in tournament. Additionally, the injuries continue to pile up for the Nets as they await the returns of key players in Ben Simmons and Joe Harris. Luckily for Brooklyn, their superstar Kevin Durant will make his return to the court for the first time since spraining his MCL on January 15, when the Nets take on the Miami Heat in their next game.
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Ben Simmons Suffers Setback in Return Bid
Ben Simmons has not played in an NBA game since last year’s playoffs. Before he returns to the court, the 3-time All-Star will need a ramp-up period. But the Nets received a somber update on their star forward this week. During his recovery, Simmons suffered a setback with what Nets general manager Sean Marks is referring to as stiffness in his back.
“Unfortunately, his back stiffness has delayed his ability to get on the court with his teammates. So, he’s been rehabbing these last sort of week to 10 days. Now, he’ll progress throughout this week with some individual workouts. Hopefully, by the end of next week, he’s getting more into the team environment and then we can really ramp-up and start him getting into game shape and so forth,” Marks said of Simmons’ impending return per NetsDaily.
“Although there’s no real timetable, we have to take it day-by-day and see how he responds, and hopefully the sooner the better. We need, again, to get this group together and get minutes together on the court.”
Rich Paul: Ben Simmons Is Week-to-Week
During his introductory press conference with the Nets Simmons said that he was hoping to play when the Nets take on the 76ers in Philadelphia on March 10. But Simmons’ agent Rich Paul of Klutch Sports says that the All-Star forward is now considered week to week with that back injury according to ESPN insider Brian Windhorst.
“I wouldn’t buy non-refundable tickets or hotel rooms,” Windhorst said of the March 10 game. “Rich Paul and they just told me over the weekend that Ben is now considered week-to-week. He’s had some back soreness — that’s what Steve Nash referred to it as. Six or seven days ago, the (Nets) had a plan in place, that’s what I was told, that would have had both Durant and Ben Simmons back active by that game on March 10. But now that plan has been scratched.
While Simmons does not currently have a hard date for his return the Nets have optimism that he will be ready for the playoffs according to Shams Charania of “The Athletic”.
“He is gonna have to rehab that back but there is hope and optimism that he’ll be back on the floor before the playoffs,” Charania said during a recent appearance on the “Pat McAfee Show” per NetsDaily. “The post-season begins on April 12 with the play-in tournament. The Nets, now the 8th seed, are likely to need to win the play-in tournament to secure a spot in the playoffs.”
With the start of the playoffs a little more than the month away the Nets will have to be near perfect during this last leg of the season. Getting a win over the top-seeded Heat in their next game would be a great start.
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