Ben Simmons Could Return As Early As Game 4 Of First Round

Post #1 » by **RealGM Wiretap** » Thu Apr 14, 2022 2:17 pm

The chance of Ben Simmons actually being cleared to play for the Brooklyn Nets in his first round series against the Boston Celtics. Simmons is trying to return from a back injury after not playing since Game 7 of the Eastern Conference Semifinals last June.

"I am told Ben Simmons is targeting Games 4, 5 or 6 for making his Brooklyn Nets debut," said Brian Windhorst on Thursday morning on ESPN. "I've got to say that I was taken aback by being told that information. My response was 'Is he even playing five-on-five yet?'

"The answer to that is 'no', but the hope is by the end of the week he can ramp up to that. There is still some time. We're still talking about over seven days. It's a big ask, but I have to say that really for seven or eight weeks I've heard nothing but pessimism on the Ben Simmons' front. But that has switched dramatically over the past few days. Right now, I have to report it is possible we'll see Ben Simmons in this series against the Celtics."

The Nets traded for Simmons in February and would likely utilize him in a defensive role against Boston's star wings in Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown.

Via Brian Windhorst/ESPN

nedleeds · Post #2 » by **nedleeds** » Thu Apr 14, 2022 3:31 pm

Maybe use him as a $35 million bench energy big?

cam24thomas · Post #3 » by **cam24thomas** » Thu Apr 14, 2022 3:58 pm

Defense is the only thing separating Brooklyn from a championship ring.
Insert Simmons for defense exclusively, and Brooklyn gets that championship.
Frankly, if Doc Rivers allowed Simmons to defend Trae Young, Philadelphia would have a ring too.

kenwood3333 · Post #4 » by **kenwood3333** » Thu Apr 14, 2022 4:39 pm

How was his mental illness?

kuclas · Post #5 » by **kuclas** » Thu Apr 14, 2022 4:51 pm

Simmons will be ready when nets are down 0-4 or 1-4 or 2-4

When the nets reach that in the series. Simmons will be available the next game in the series

the_process · Post #6 » by **the_process** » Thu Apr 14, 2022 5:36 pm

A Ben Simmons who hasn't played all year long is going to make his season debut in the playoffs and affect the game positively for Brooklyn? I'm betting heavily against that.

Tottery · Post #7 » by **Tottery** » Thu Apr 14, 2022 5:55 pm

ben10simmons wrote:Defense is the only thing separating Brooklyn from a championship ring.
Insert Simmons for defense exclusively, and Brooklyn gets that championship.
Frankly, if Doc Rivers allowed Simmons to defend Trae Young, Philadelphia would have a ring too.

Yea, he doesn't have to do much or even play long minutes. 10-15 minutes guarding the other teams best scorer would help a lot.

alienpick · Post #8 » by **alienpick** » Thu Apr 14, 2022 6:13 pm

kuclas wrote:Simmons will be ready when nets are down 0-4 or 1-4 or 2-4

When the nets reach that in the series. Simmons will be available the next game in the series

I see what you did there.

Pickled Prunes · Post #9 » by **Pickled Prunes** » Thu Apr 14, 2022 8:12 pm

Tottery wrote:
ben10simmons wrote:Defense is the only thing separating Brooklyn from a championship ring.
Insert Simmons for defense exclusively, and Brooklyn gets that championship.
Frankly, if Doc Rivers allowed Simmons to defend Trae Young, Philadelphia would have a ring too.

Yea, he doesn't have to do much or even play long minutes. 10-15 minutes guarding the other teams best scorer would help a lot.

He only had to guard the other team's best player for 4.2 seconds on this play.

Watch on YouTube

Pickled Prunes · Post #10 » by **Pickled Prunes** » Thu Apr 14, 2022 8:16 pm

RealGM Wiretap wrote:Ben Simmons Could Return As Early As Game 4 Of First Round

... or as late as never? I'm not sure this guy wants to play basketball anymore; I am sure that he doesn't want pressure. We will see.

cam24thomas · Post #11 » by **cam24thomas** » Thu Apr 14, 2022 8:29 pm

Pickled Prunes wrote:
RealGM Wiretap wrote:Ben Simmons Could Return As Early As Game 4 Of First Round

... or as late as never? I'm not sure this guy wants to play basketball anymore; I am sure that he doesn't want pressure. We will see.

There is no evidence of Simmons disliking the pressure of these playoff, and actually Brian Windhorst was shocked that Simmons could play, given how bad his back injury was in recent weeks.
And Brooklyn gives Simmons less pressure than any team in the entire NBA!

He doesn't need to attempt shots in this team, and he can get all the glory for playing defense on a team not known for defense. Also rebounding, he's a really good rebounder, and he'll be given more room to slash to the basket because KD/KI/Curry won't get in his way.....unlike Embiid who stood at the top of the 3-point-line or in the paint, both areas that Simmons wants to be....

And apart from the free-throw-shooting, Simmons was outstanding in the 2021 NBA Playoffs = 11.9 points, 8.8 assists, 7.9 rebounds, 1.3 steals, 0.8 blocks, 2.3 turnovers, .621 field, 33.5 minutes per game, 12 games.

Pickled Prunes · Post #12 » by **Pickled Prunes** » Thu Apr 14, 2022 9:53 pm

ben10simmons wrote:
Pickled Prunes wrote:
RealGM Wiretap wrote:Ben Simmons Could Return As Early As Game 4 Of First Round

... or as late as never? I'm not sure this guy wants to play basketball anymore; I am sure that he doesn't want pressure. We will see.

There is no evidence of Simmons disliking the pressure of these playoff, and actually Brian Windhorst was shocked that Simmons could play, given how bad his back injury was in recent weeks.
And Brooklyn gives Simmons less pressure than any team in the entire NBA!

He doesn't need to attempt shots in this team, and he can get all the glory for playing defense on a team not known for defense. Also rebounding, he's a really good rebounder, and he'll be given more room to slash to the basket because KD/KI/Curry won't get in his way.....unlike Embiid who stood at the top of the 3-point-line or in the paint, both areas that Simmons wants to be....

And apart from the free-throw-shooting, Simmons was outstanding in the 2021 NBA Playoffs = 11.9 points, 8.8 assists, 7.9 rebounds, 1.3 steals, 0.8 blocks, 2.3 turnovers, .621 field, 33.5 minutes per game, 12 games.

Windbag was surprised that Simmons would be ready because he had been away from the game for so long, which undoubtedly contributed to his back injury.

Nobody is saying Simmons isn't good at what he does. But He doesn't have Embiid behind him anymore. The opposing team will just switch him out of the play... problem solved. If BRK wants to play 4 on 5 on offense for 15 minutes a game I'm sure BOS will live with that.

SlimD235 · Post #13 » by **SlimD235** » Thu Apr 14, 2022 10:05 pm

Pu$$y

Deivork · Post #14 » by **Deivork** » Fri Apr 15, 2022 12:21 am

LOL, what a scam!

Deivork · Post #15 » by **Deivork** » Fri Apr 15, 2022 12:23 am

Deivork wrote:LOL, what a scam! He is not playing

HiRez · Post #16 » by **HiRez** » Fri Apr 15, 2022 1:04 am

The chance of Ben Simmons actually being cleared to play for the Brooklyn Nets in his first round series against the Boston Celtics.

Um...is that a sentence?

Tottery · Post #17 » by **Tottery** » Fri Apr 15, 2022 2:43 am

Pickled Prunes wrote:
Tottery wrote:
ben10simmons wrote:Defense is the only thing separating Brooklyn from a championship ring.
Insert Simmons for defense exclusively, and Brooklyn gets that championship.
Frankly, if Doc Rivers allowed Simmons to defend Trae Young, Philadelphia would have a ring too.

Yea, he doesn't have to do much or even play long minutes. 10-15 minutes guarding the other teams best scorer would help a lot.

He only had to guard the other team's best player for 4.2 seconds on this play.

Watch on YouTube

Yea, but that was a lucky bounce.

D21 · Post #18 » by **D21** » Fri Apr 15, 2022 1:10 pm

ben10simmons wrote:Defense is the only thing separating Brooklyn from a championship ring.
Insert Simmons for defense exclusively, and Brooklyn gets that championship.
Frankly, if Doc Rivers allowed Simmons to defend Trae Young, Philadelphia would have a ring too.

Did you watch the series? Because I saw Simmons on Young, not the whole game, but I saw it, and it didn't changed anything because Young job was less easy but it was way more easy to the other players to shine.

cam24thomas · Post #19 » by **cam24thomas** » Fri Apr 15, 2022 2:10 pm

D21 wrote:
ben10simmons wrote:Defense is the only thing separating Brooklyn from a championship ring.
Insert Simmons for defense exclusively, and Brooklyn gets that championship.
Frankly, if Doc Rivers allowed Simmons to defend Trae Young, Philadelphia would have a ring too.

Did you watch the series? Because I saw Simmons on Young, not the whole game, but I saw it, and it didn't changed anything because Young job was less easy but it was way more easy to the other players to shine.

Nowhere near the whole game, because Danny Green and Tobias Harris defended Young more, and that is why Doc Rivers lost the series.

Pickled Prunes · Post #20 » by **Pickled Prunes** » Fri Apr 15, 2022 6:57 pm

Tottery wrote:
Pickled Prunes wrote:
Tottery wrote:
Yea, he doesn't have to do much or even play long minutes. 10-15 minutes guarding the other teams best scorer would help a lot.

He only had to guard the other team's best player for 4.2 seconds on this play.

Watch on YouTube

Yea, but that was a lucky bounce.

It doesn't matter if he swished it or missed it. Simmons was 8 feet away when Kawhi let go of that shot. That should have been Kawhi shooting it over two defenders but as soon as Embiid comes into the play Simmons stops and watches. Remember when Robert Covington was All-Defense? Without Embiid behind him he's been garbage. We haven't seen Simmons without Embiid behind him but I'll believe it when I see it.