When Will the Nets Panic & Bring Out Simmons?

[Phantom255x]

This whole situation just continues to smell fishier and fishier. The random progressions of his recovery from non-contact, to 4v4, to playing a playoff game, then there's Steve Nash not having any idea about it all.

Either he's completely underdone, yet will play and either be ineffective or hurt himself again - or, this is all a weird media play.

I think Nash was downplaying him coming back for several reasons the most obvious being he may not actually be able to play and if he can play he may not be any good.  I think it was Nash lowering expectations.  Not Nash not having any idea what was going on, but just managing things.

I also think Simmons will come back but not play many minutes. Also, are the Nets that confident that they're willing to play Simmons in the 4th quarter of close games? I think he'd hurt them there

[Moranis]

I haven't found an example from the last 50 years of basketball of a guy not playing basketball all year (let alone not being able to even run or play one on one for months) that came back and played in the playoffs (let alone made an impact). I, for the life of me, can't understand people building up simmons to be a boogie man like this. It is just very very bizarre. Are some fans just looking for something to be scared of? I am a lot more scared of a monster game from Kyrie or Durant (or even Curry hitting like 7 threes) more than I am a guy that has never played with his team or played in a year coming in and even making a slight positive impact. Why would this happen in the first time in the history of basketball? Making this even funnier is the fact that Simmons is famous for not being a hard worker or improving his game. His 76ers coaching staff famously asked in his 4th year, "is there anything this guy has improved on since we drafted him?"

Yea, refs are the bigger boogieman

But I feel like Ime has figured that out. He won't let our dudes complain, and forces our dudes to play tough no matter what

Durant got 20 FTs last game and we still won. The Celtics or the fans should not worry about the refs.  Just keep balling.

Yeah but Durant was 0 of 10 in the 2nd half and Irving was 1 of 7.  I will flat out guarantee that Irving and Durant will not go 1 of 17 or worse in a half again this series.

[Vermont Green]

I haven't found an example from the last 50 years of basketball of a guy not playing basketball all year (let alone not being able to even run or play one on one for months) that came back and played in the playoffs (let alone made an impact). I, for the life of me, can't understand people building up simmons to be a boogie man like this. It is just very very bizarre. Are some fans just looking for something to be scared of? I am a lot more scared of a monster game from Kyrie or Durant (or even Curry hitting like 7 threes) more than I am a guy that has never played with his team or played in a year coming in and even making a slight positive impact. Why would this happen in the first time in the history of basketball? Making this even funnier is the fact that Simmons is famous for not being a hard worker or improving his game. His 76ers coaching staff famously asked in his 4th year, "is there anything this guy has improved on since we drafted him?"

Yea, refs are the bigger boogieman

But I feel like Ime has figured that out. He won't let our dudes complain, and forces our dudes to play tough no matter what

Durant got 20 FTs last game and we still won. The Celtics or the fans should not worry about the refs.  Just keep balling.

Yeah but Durant was 0 of 10 in the 2nd half and Irving was 1 of 7.  I will flat out guarantee that Irving and Durant will not go 1 of 17 or worse in a half again this series.

I agree, I am far more worried about Durant and Kyrie than I am the refs.  I am not into conspiracy theories about refs.  The calls will favor Durant, we know that, even more so in BKN, he is a star.  And Theis will have the call go against him every time, he is a clunky big.  It doesn't matter who the refs are, or it doesn't matter enough that I am going to worry about it.

[angryguy77]

I haven't found an example from the last 50 years of basketball of a guy not playing basketball all year (let alone not being able to even run or play one on one for months) that came back and played in the playoffs (let alone made an impact). I, for the life of me, can't understand people building up simmons to be a boogie man like this. It is just very very bizarre. Are some fans just looking for something to be scared of? I am a lot more scared of a monster game from Kyrie or Durant (or even Curry hitting like 7 threes) more than I am a guy that has never played with his team or played in a year coming in and even making a slight positive impact. Why would this happen in the first time in the history of basketball? Making this even funnier is the fact that Simmons is famous for not being a hard worker or improving his game. His 76ers coaching staff famously asked in his 4th year, "is there anything this guy has improved on since we drafted him?"

Yea, refs are the bigger boogieman

But I feel like Ime has figured that out. He won't let our dudes complain, and forces our dudes to play tough no matter what

Durant got 20 FTs last game and we still won. The Celtics or the fans should not worry about the refs.  Just keep balling.

Yeah but Durant was 0 of 10 in the 2nd half and Irving was 1 of 7.  I will flat out guarantee that Irving and Durant will not go 1 of 17 or worse in a half again this series.

I agree, I am far more worried about Durant and Kyrie than I am the refs.  I am not into conspiracy theories about refs.  The calls will favor Durant, we know that, even more so in BKN, he is a star.  And Theis will have the call go against him every time, he is a clunky big.  It doesn't matter who the refs are, or it doesn't matter enough that I am going to worry about it.

And if the refs start calling off the ball fouls limiting to how our defense has been working this series?
It can get much worse than giving him 20 FT attempts.

I hope to God they make me look paranoid and come out with a win, but I think the chances of a hosing are as good as the chances are for a team winning a series after going up 2 games to 0.

[Phantom255x]

In addition to the Timelord news, Woj says Ben Simmons will return Game 4. Guessing that means he's not playing at all Game 3

[celticsclay]

In addition to the Timelord news, Woj says Ben Simmons will return Game 4. Guessing that means he's not playing at all Game 3

If Ben Simmons does any sort of meaningful contribution I may have to eat my hat. My opinion isn't even just based off my own thoughts. Literally every player that I have heard talk about this on podcast or whatever have said it is an absolute joke that a guy can go from not playing or even being able to run to playoff basketball. Even guys that are very far from hot takes like Raja Bell.

[ozgod]

I haven't found an example from the last 50 years of basketball of a guy not playing basketball all year (let alone not being able to even run or play one on one for months) that came back and played in the playoffs (let alone made an impact). I, for the life of me, can't understand people building up simmons to be a boogie man like this. It is just very very bizarre. Are some fans just looking for something to be scared of? I am a lot more scared of a monster game from Kyrie or Durant (or even Curry hitting like 7 threes) more than I am a guy that has never played with his team or played in a year coming in and even making a slight positive impact. Why would this happen in the first time in the history of basketball? Making this even funnier is the fact that Simmons is famous for not being a hard worker or improving his game. His 76ers coaching staff famously asked in his 4th year, "is there anything this guy has improved on since we drafted him?"

Yea, refs are the bigger boogieman

But I feel like Ime has figured that out. He won't let our dudes complain, and forces our dudes to play tough no matter what

Durant got 20 FTs last game and we still won. The Celtics or the fans should not worry about the refs.  Just keep balling.

Yeah but Durant was 0 of 10 in the 2nd half and Irving was 1 of 7.  I will flat out guarantee that Irving and Durant will not go 1 of 17 or worse in a half again this series.

I agree, I am far more worried about Durant and Kyrie than I am the refs.  I am not into conspiracy theories about refs.  The calls will favor Durant, we know that, even more so in BKN, he is a star.  And Theis will have the call go against him every time, he is a clunky big.  It doesn't matter who the refs are, or it doesn't matter enough that I am going to worry about it.

I’m sure they will play better. The good thing is we can play better too. The Jays have been hit or miss offensively but the team overall has covered for them.

[dannyboy35]

  Everything is on the table. If I was betting I’d expect a quick whistle and for kd and Kyrie to be lights out for game 3 but who knows. There’s always the possibility Kyrie ( if he can’t get going early) may just give up on his team.