Report: Sixers 'Hope' Ben Simmons Can Return From Injury Before Playoffs

The Sixers aren't sure if they are going to get their starting point guard, Ben Simmons, back in time for the playoffs this season.

The Philadelphia 76ers are no strangers to injuries. Every year, they deal with setbacks, which occur to crucial players on the team. This season hasn't been any different. The usual suspects for this year have been Joel Embiid and Josh Richardson as they've missed chunks of games multiple times this season.

But lately, Richardson and Embiid haven't been the only ones out and recovering from a setback. Sixers' All-Star point guard Ben Simmons is typically praised for his durability. While he did miss his debut season a few years ago due to a foot injury, the 23-year-old star has avoided the injury report for a majority of the last two seasons.

This year is a different story, however. After returning from the All-Star break a few weeks ago, Simmons was going up for a rebound during the first practice back. After experiencing discomfort in his back, the third-year guard reported his injury to the Sixers' medical staff. That's when Simmons was diagnosed with lower-back tightness and ruled out for the upcoming game against Brooklyn.

While the Sixers survived the Nets without Simmons, the competitive guard wanted to make sure he was able to return the following game against the Milwaukee Bucks. After going from questionable to available, Simmons made it out to the court to make his 54th start of the year in Milwaukee. Unfortunately, that lasted under five minutes.

A tough layup attempt put Simmons in pain and forced the young All-Star to rush off to the locker room to receive an X-ray. Simmons' reaction coming out of the room was described as 'emotional' as the injury initially seemed more long-term than short. However, nobody was going to speculate until after receiving results from the MRI he had scheduled.

It took a couple of days for the Sixers medical staff to reach an official diagnosis. When they did, it turned out that Simmons was dealing with a nerve impingement in his lower back. A target date for re-evaluation was set for two weeks. While Simmons and the Sixers hope to see progress by the time that two-week mark comes up, some close to the situation believe that there are 'longer-term implications' applied here.

And according to a recent piece by ESPN's Romona Shelburne, the Sixers don't even have a clear enough sight for Simmons' return to know if he can make it back in time for playoffs. Here's what Shelburne has reported recently:

"Embiid could be back from a shoulder injury as early as next week, sources say, but Simmons' prognosis -- a lower-back nerve impingement -- is harder to predict. Simmons will be reevaluated next week as the Sixers wait for the inflammation around the nerve to subside. The team hopes he can return before playoffs, sources say, and with enough time to get back into shape. But, at this point, that is just a hope."

After Thursday's road win over the Kings, the Sixers have just 19 games left on the schedule before they reach the postseason. At this point, the Sixers are expected to lock in a playoff spot, but the two biggest questions are: which seed will they grab? And will they have their All-Star guard available to compete? The Sixers will get an answer to their first question sooner than later. The second one, however, remains a mystery until further notice.

Justin Grasso covers the Philadelphia 76ers for Sports Illustrated. You can follow him on Twitter: @JGrasso_