76ers vs. Nets: Philly Won’t Face Former First Pick Ben Simmons

Ben Simmons is out against the 76ers on Sunday.

The injury bug has gotten to former Philadelphia 76ers first-overall pick Ben Simmons once again.

The same injury that Simmons suffered during his second-to-last run with the Sixers is affecting him once more as a member of the Brooklyn Nets. Earlier this week, Simmons was diagnosed with a lower-back nerve impingement. Therefore, he won’t face his former team on Sunday.

At this point, Simmons has faced the Sixers just three times since he was traded away at the 2021 deadline. That same season, Simmons never debuted for the Nets, as he suffered a setback during his ramp-up phase.

Last season, Simmons managed to take on the Sixers in three of the four regular-season matchups. In those games, he averaged nine points, five rebounds, and six assists. Later on down the line, the Sixers and the Nets met during the 2023 NBA Playoffs, but the former All-Star was not cleared for action in the first-round series. The Sixers went on to defeat the Nets 4-0 in his absence.

The Ben Simmons era in Brooklyn has left a lot to be desired. Last season, he appeared in 42 games, averaging seven points, six rebounds, and six assists. After a February 15 matchup against the Miami Heat, Simmons went inactive for the remainder of the year.

Entering the 2023-2024 NBA season, Simmons was healthy once again. He looked forward to getting a fresh start as the Nets’ starting point guard. He appeared in the first five games of the season, averaging seven points, seven assists, and ten rebounds per game. He missed the sixth matchup against the Boston Celtics and returned for a 33-minute shift against the Milwaukee Bucks the following night.

Since then, Simmons hasn’t been on the court. He missed the Nets’ previous five games and will make it six in a row on Sunday against the Sixers. As of now, Simmons’ setback isn’t expected to be as serious as his previous injury. However, it’s unclear when he’ll return to the court.