Nets' Simmons MRI Results 'Clean,' Could Return Friday

Brooklyn's point forward escaped any major injury.

Mar 1, 2023; New York, New York, USA; Brooklyn Nets injured guard Ben Simmons (10) watches from the bench during the third quarter against the New York Knicks at Madison Square Garden. Mandatory Credit: Brad Penner-Imagn Images / Brad Penner-Imagn Images

Wednesday night, the Brooklyn Nets were manhandled for the first time in the 2024-25 campaign, courtesy of the Boston Celtics.

Missing from the lineup was Ben Simmons, whose 12 assists were key in Brooklyn's narrow victory over the New Orleans Pelicans.

Via Brian Lewis of the New York Post, Simmons cramped up in the second half of the road win, forcing him to miss his first game due to injury this season.

Head coach Jordi Fernandez announced he'd be listed "day-to-day" as an MRI followed.

Lewis took to X on Thursday afternoon to provide an update on Simmons' timetable.

"Ben Simmons had an MRI on his tight left calf, and a source told the Post that it came up clean," he wrote. "[Simmons is] back to working out and could conceivably return Friday against the [New York] Knicks."

Outside of rest days, often in the second act of a back-to-back, Simmons' health surpasses any other season since his arrival in 2021.

The 28-year-old is enjoying his best assist-per-game average since 2019-20, a year that saw his second of three career All-Star appearances.

Through 12 games, Simmons has been vital to Brooklyn's offensive success. Whenever he sits for an extended period, the Nets' scoring output runs dry and resorts to isolation and quick catch-and-shoot scenarios.

If Brooklyn hopes to remain competitive throughout the second annual NBA Cup, staying healthy is vital to team success.

Should Simmons not be available come tip-off, primary facilitating duties will fall on the hands of Dennis Schröder and Cam Thomas.

Nets-Knicks is slated for Friday at 7:30 p.m. EST.

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