Ben Simmons cannot seem to catch a break. The three-time All Star will miss his fourth straight game on Monday as the Nets face the Memphis Grizzlies at Barclays Center, but the most troubling aspect of his latest string of absences stems from a concerning update to Brooklyn’s latest injury report.
Simmons, who has appeared in just 15 games for the Nets this season, left last Saturday’s game against the Minnesota Timberwolves with 8:04 left in the third quarter and did not return. He was listed as questionable because of leg soreness entering the team’s next game against the Memphis Grizzlies on Feb. 26, but wound up playing 14 minutes off the bench and contributed four points, six rebounds and three assists.
The 27-year-old has not played in both sides of a back-to-back sets this season, so it was not surprising to see him sit against the Orlando Magic on Feb. 27. However, Simmons remained sidelined in both games against the Atlanta Hawks on Thursday and Saturday because of leg soreness. He was considered day-to-day, according to interim head coach Kevin Ollie.
The Nets once again listed Simmons as questionable on Sunday night but revealed that the leg soreness he has experienced in recent days is connected to the lower back nerve impingement injury that forced him to miss 38-straight games earlier in the season. He was officially ruled out after Monday’s shootaround in Brooklyn.
Simmons has played in just 57 of 178 total games since being acquired by the Nets at the 2022 trade deadline. He has averaged 6.1 points, 7.9 assists and 5.7 rebounds this season while shooting 58.1% from the field. If his nerve impingement injury is beginning to flare up again, there is no telling when he will return to the court, based on his history.
Cam Thomas will also miss his fourth straight game on Monday because of a right ankle sprain and is also considered day-to-day. However, at this point it feels like he will be back on the court before Simmons. He was seen on the stationary bike during shootaround and also threw down a dunk off his left leg before reporters were escorted out of the practice gym.
Brooklyn has a 7-5 record without Thomas this season and is 17-28 without Simmons.
Staying on the injury front, rookie guard Dariq Whitehead, who underwent season-ending surgery in late January to address stress reaction in his left shin, was seen walking around on the practice court without a boot.
