Ben Simmons Ruled Out in Matchup Against Philadelphia 76ers

Ben Simmons will not suit up against his former team on Saturday.

Nov 22, 2024; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA; Brooklyn Nets guard Ben Simmons (10) controls the ball against Philadelphia 76ers guard Tyrese Maxey (0) during the second quarter at Wells Fargo Center. Mandatory Credit: Bill Streicher-Imagn Images / Bill Streicher-Imagn Images

Following their West Coast swing, the Philadelphia 76ers return East to finish out their road trip. Next up on the schedule is a meeting against the Brooklyn Nets at Barclays center.

Whenever the Sixers face off against the Nets, the biggest storyline is Ben Simmons. The former No. 1 pick started his career in Philly before eventually being dealt to Brooklyn at the 2022 trade deadline for James Harden.

Since being traded, Simmons has faced off agianst his former team on numerous occasions. However, that will not be the case on Saturday. Despite not originally being on the inury report, the Nets ruled him out just before tip-off due to calf soreness.

No Ben Simmons tonight for the Nets. He is out with left calf soreness.

— Keith Pompey (@PompeyOnSixers) January 4, 2025

Simmons has yet to return to form following the move to the Nets. He has gotten a bigger role as of late due to their recent trades, but will be on the sidelines against the Sixers. On the season, Simmons is averaging 5.9 PPG, 5.2 RPG, and 6.9 APG.

The former All-Star is among multiple Nets players who won't be suiting up on Saturday, most notably Cam Johnson and Cam Thomas. Due to them being shorthanded, the main player the Sixers will have to zero in on is newly acquired D'Angelo Russell.

Following a shaky back-to-back against the Warriors and Kings, the Sixers find themselves in a good position to get back in the win column. Along with being out a handful of their top performers, Brooklyn sits at 13-21 on the year and is 3-7 over their last ten games.

Joel Embiid and company cannot let an opportunity to secure a win slip by against this struggling Nets team. Tip-off is slated for 6:00 pm Eastern Time.