The Nets fans hoping Ben Simmons could salvage the playoff disaster received the news they feared most.
Ben Simmons, who missed the entire 2021-22 NBA season, was included by the Brooklyn Nets in Tuesday’s fourth game of the playoff series against Boston.
The Nets are close to a crush against the Celtics, trailing 3-0 in their first-round top-seven game, but were hoping Simmons had the backache that kept him sidelined.
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The three-time All-Star, who has not played since the Nets acquired him from the 76ers in a February deal for James Harden due to a herniated disc in his back, targeted Game 4 as his return in the NBA after joining his teammates. Practice in the last days.
However, according to ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski, Simmons woke up Monday with back pain again.
“The Nets and Ben Simmons expected he would be ready to play on Monday (US time), but after hitting the field yesterday Simmons said he woke up with back pain today,” Voinarowski wrote on Twitter.
“In the end, the team and Simmons agreed that he would stay out of Game 4.”
The world reacts to the explosion of the Simmons saga
Chris Mannix, an NBA insider for Sports Illustrated, suggested Simmons’ continued absence won’t be viewed favorably by his new teammates.
“Kevin Durant is there playing 46 minutes. The nets don’t have depth. And Ben Simmons can’t beat in 10-15 minutes to help his team try to avoid elimination?” Mannix tweeted: “It couldn’t be that good in the locker room.
Former NFL star Damien Woody tweeted: “This Ben Simmons fiasco is insane. Like bruh… you have everything off the season to deal with whatever is going on.”
Dumping American sports broadcaster Stephen A Smith on Simmons. “I feel bad for anyone who is a teammate,” Smith told ESPN.
“He quit at LSU. He quit the Philadelphia 76ers and now he’s not coming to the Brooklyn Nets.
“We can point to all the excuses, all the justifications behind it that we want.
“I remember even though he didn’t play, he still complained to collect the $20 million (of 76) he didn’t earn. This is one of the most pathetic situations I’ve seen in my life.
“He’s not going to fight, he’s not going to the (UFC) Octagon, he’s not going into the boxing ring. It’s pulling teeth to get this guy to play basketball.
“It’s pathetic, it’s sad.”
Former NBA player Darek Martin was also snappy, writing on social media: “@BenSimmons25 has got to be the biggest scam ever in the NBA. Too bad he’s part of the NBA players fraternity. He definitely doesn’t like hop”.
NBA Legend Analyst Kendrick Perkins added, “Ben Simmons has officially completed the biggest heist in NBA history. He really sat in an entire season!”
Sam Vecenie of The Athletic said: “It’s hard to overstate how the entire Ben Simmons situation has been handled so disastrously, from day one of training camp to the end of this season. Just, the entirety of this is a disaster. From sitting down to losing money to Will – won’t – play? Just appalling.”
Sports writer Aaron Torres said: “We’re so excited we’re finally getting to the point where people are starting to call Ben Simmons to find out exactly who he is. Dude quit on one team and can’t even bother trying to play for another—all while making $33 million in salary. The biggest waste of talent I have ever seen.”
Reggie Miller, who played in the NBA for nearly two decades, was another runaway. “Cmon MAN!!! Out of Game 4 when it was rumored that you would debut. This dude has zero competitor (fire). With a small chance like the Nets getting back in the series, you still have KD and Kyrie, you just need to win one game and grab it from there.”
Celtics crush the starry net
Celtics stars Jason Tatum and Jaylen Brown blazed Boston on the brink of the second round while the Boston defensive line managed to shut out Brooklyn stars Kevin Durant and Kyrie Irving at crucial times of the series.
Durant scored 16 points and only hit 11 in Game Three, while Irving scored 16. Crucially, neither of them were able to participate in the fourth quarter.
The star-studded nets that were meant to be an unstoppable dynasty are now looking to sweep them from the playoffs.
When Brooklyn brought Irving, Kevin Durant, Griffin and Harden together, it was meant to be indomitable. Even with Harden traded and Simmons joining the team, Brooklyn was expected to be a championship contender.
But their season is on the cusp of a collapse — and Simmons won’t be on the ground to do anything about it.
With AFP and Peter Pott, New York Post
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