Windhorst: Simmons eyeing a Game 4, 5, or 6 return

[Who]

I feel great about Boston's chances against Brooklyn without Ben Simmons. I just do not think Durant and Kyrie have enough help to win a series against Boston.

What I am unsure about is how much would they need from Ben Simmons to make it a series. Do they need him in top form? Or can they survive with him at 75%?

I don't like the Nets chances of making a title run with Ben Simmons this year because they haven't had any time to build any chemistry / understanding together but I do think they are dangerous enough to beat anyone in a one-off series with Ben Simmons. Just not 4 straight playoff series. So I do see them as a threat with Ben Simmons in our first round series even without chemistry.

Even without chemistry Ben Simmons is still one of the top transition finishers & passers in the league, he is one of the top defensive forwards in the league, a high quality rebounder at forward and provides some secondary ball-handling, driving, cutting, post ups, interior finishes, ball movement in the halfcourt. Those are a lot of things that are easy to incorporate.

Even without chemistry, Ben Simmons is a guy who can change games.

[Who]

How injured was Ben Simmons?

He was healthy (physically healthy) while sitting out the season, right? He just had a small setback while getting himself back in game shape? Do I have the correct?

While he has not been playing all season. He also is not coming back from some severe injury or been recovering all year from an injury. He was healthy; just sitting out.

If I have that right, that makes it really hard to compare him to other players who have been injured for 10-12 months before making their comeback.

What if he is physically in better shape than we assume?

Do I have that right? Or was he injured too while sitting out?

[Celtics2021]

How injured was Ben Simmons?

He was healthy (physically healthy) while sitting out the season, right? He just had a small setback while getting himself back in game shape? Do I have the correct?

While he has not been playing all season. He also is not coming back from some severe injury or been recovering all year from an injury. He was healthy; just sitting out.

If I have that right, that makes it really hard to compare him to other players who have been injured for 10-12 months before making their comeback.

What if he is physically in better shape than we assume?

Do I have that right? Or was he injured too while sitting out?

He’s had a back injury for at least the last month that has required injections to treat.  He’s not been in basketball shape.

[celticsclay]

How injured was Ben Simmons?

He was healthy (physically healthy) while sitting out the season, right? He just had a small setback while getting himself back in game shape? Do I have the correct?

While he has not been playing all season. He also is not coming back from some severe injury or been recovering all year from an injury. He was healthy; just sitting out.

If I have that right, that makes it really hard to compare him to other players who have been injured for 10-12 months before making their comeback.

What if he is physically in better shape than we assume?

Do I have that right? Or was he injured too while sitting out?

He has an extremely serious back injury and today still can’t run up and down the court. He hasn’t been able to play one on one or do anything. He also recently had to get an epidural. Not sure where you thought he had minor setback when he has been out for months. How good shape can you be in if you literally can’t run?

https://hoopshype.com/rumor/ben-simmons-still-not-sprinting-kevin-durant-preparing-as-if-he-wont-play/

[Who]

Okay, so not a minor setback. That back injury does sound more serious than I had realized.

[slamtheking]

Okay, so not a minor setback. That back injury does sound more serious than I had realized.

if he does come back for part of the series, a nice back pick should put an end to that experiment

[celticsclay]

Okay, so not a minor setback. That back injury does sound more serious than I had realized.

I don’t think his disc is as bad as mine is, and he has access to care I don’t, and can do surgery they wouldn’t risk on me as a non professional athlete, but I ruptured a disk in my lower back weight lifting and it has been an issue for me for 10 years.

[pokeKingCurtis]

Okay, so not a minor setback. That back injury does sound more serious than I had realized.

I don’t think his disc is as bad as mine is, and he has access to care I don’t, and can do surgery they wouldn’t risk on me as a non professional athlete, but I ruptured a disk in my lower back weight lifting and it has been an issue for me for 10 years.

Back injuries are never good for athletes

Your back, your core...

[KG Living Legend]

Okay, so not a minor setback. That back injury does sound more serious than I had realized.

I don’t think his disc is as bad as mine is, and he has access to care I don’t, and can do surgery they wouldn’t risk on me as a non professional athlete, but I ruptured a disk in my lower back weight lifting and it has been an issue for me for 10 years.

 Sorry to hear that Clay. Was it deadlifting by chance?

[celticsclay]

Okay, so not a minor setback. That back injury does sound more serious than I had realized.

I don’t think his disc is as bad as mine is, and he has access to care I don’t, and can do surgery they wouldn’t risk on me as a non professional athlete, but I ruptured a disk in my lower back weight lifting and it has been an issue for me for 10 years.

 Sorry to hear that Clay. Was it deadlifting by chance?

To be honest it was so long ago I can’t remember if it was a squat or a deadlift. I was doing the startjng strength program and was actually in crazy good shape at the time and going up in very small increments. Not sure if i was just tired or it was bad luck, but have had low to occasional moderate pain ever since and can’t really deadlift or squat any more.

[ozgod]

Always skeptical when Klutch PR Agent/ESPN Reporter Windhorst gives updates on players managed by Rich Paul

Yep, sounds like Rich Paul keeping his client in the news to show that Ben is making an effort.

[Phantom255x]

Maybe I'm sounding like a homer, but I'm just not sure how a guy who apparently still isn't doing 5 on 5 and is doing basic drills (which still excludes sprinting, etc.) is going to come back as early as Game 4 in this series. And even if he does return, am I supposed to expect that he'll just come back and be in top shape/form and lock down some of the other stars? It's not like he's coming back and facing a bad team with some scrubs. Tatum and/or Brown could probably just run laps around him and make him tire fast, Simmons hasn't played in over a year.

And this isn't even factoring in his offense, free throw shooting and "clutchness" in 4th quarters of tight playoff games which is literally the reason the whole Sixers experience didn't work out at the end.

[kraidstar]

Maybe I'm sounding like a homer, but I'm just not sure how a guy who apparently still isn't doing 5 on 5 and is doing basic drills (which still excludes sprinting, etc.) is going to come back as early as Game 4 in this series. And even if he does return, am I supposed to expect that he'll just come back and be in top shape/form and lock down some of the other stars? It's not like he's coming back and facing a bad team with some scrubs. Tatum and/or Brown could probably just run laps around him and make him tire fast, Simmons hasn't played in over a year.

And this isn't even factoring in his offense, free throw shooting and "clutchness" in 4th quarters of tight playoff games which is literally the reason the whole Sixers experience didn't work out at the end.

Agree. He'll be trying to catch up with guys on both teams who have been playing top speed for months. That's hard to do when competing with the best players in the world on a brand new team.

[Who]

When the Nets head coach was asked, once again, about when he believes the injury occurred, he spoke about how Simmons put together months of individual work to get ready for his newest opportunity during his Sixers holdout. He remains hopeful this case will have a “good resolution” in the near future.

“From what I know, he trained pretty hard for five-six months and was in a great place. Unfortunately, I think there was a little flare-up at some point in there, and it’s just never quite turned the corner since,” Nash said. “He had months of five-six days a week on-court and was doing very well. It’s just unfortunate but we’ll stay the course and hopefully have a good resolution to this in the near future.”

This quote is from a couple of weeks ago when discussing Simmons' injury situation. Nash is talking specifically about the period prior to the injury when Simmons was sitting out. And I want to emphasize (1) sitting out rather than injured (2) playing & working out rather than doing nothing.

So some rust cause it is not the same as games but it is also not the same as being out injured for 12 months. He was healthy and active and playing basketball during that period. He was in pretty good shape. Not tip top shape but pretty darn good.

The injury is more like 2 months out of inactivity. Of not being able to workout and be in physical shape.

That back injury (herniated disc) does sound serious and should cause concern about what level of physical performance Simmons is capable of if (and I do say IF because I do doubt he does return) he returns.

[Who]

The question in my mind is still how much do they need from Ben Simmons to give them a chance in this series.

They are not going to get 100% Simmons (even if he does return). Do they need 100% Simmons to compete?

I don't think this Nets team has enough talent currently to beat Boston in a 7 game series. I just ... do not think it is possible for them to beat Boston. They don't have the horses.

So how much does Brooklyn need from Ben Simmons -- not even to outright win, but to make it a contest. To give them a chance. Because I believe they have no chance. Zero.

Right here, right now = zero chance.

Do they need a fully fit and performing Simmons to give them a shot? Maybe they do. Can a 70% Simmons give them enough help to give them a shot? I don't know. Would a 50% Simmons be enough? Doubtful but even that Simmons I view as an upgrade (I do like Simmons more than many others) over their current guys (who I do not rate).