Massive Ben Simmons Injury Update
According to Shams Charania of The Athletic, "Ben Simmons is dealing with back soreness", and right now there is no timetable for his return to playing.
The tweets from Charania can be seen embedded below.
Charania wrote in the first tweet: "Sources: Nets star Ben Simmons is dealing with back soreness in reconditioning process that requires further strengthening of the area over a period of time before return to action."
Charania wrote in the second tweet: "Brooklyn has no set timetable for Simmons' return. It's uncertain whether the three-time All-Star will clear necessary return-to-play hurdles for Nets' March 10 return trip to Philadelphia, but team is treating as a day-to-day process."
The Nets recently traded for Simmons in the deal that sent 2018 NBA MVP James Harden and Paul Milsap to the Philadelphia 76ers in exchange for Simmons, Seth Curry, Andre Drummond and draft picks.
At one point this season the Nets were the top seed in the Eastern Conference, but before the All-Star break they endured an 11-game losing streak that dropped them all the way down to the eighth seed in the east.
They are 32-29 in the 61 games that they have played this season, and even though the losing streak has ended, they are still just 3-7 in their last ten games overall.
On top of Simmons being out, Kevin Durant has been out of the lineup since January 15 due to a knee injury, and Kyrie Irving is a part-time player only eligible to play in games on the road.