As the Brooklyn Nets geared up to host the Cleveland Cavaliers in the first Play-In game, Nets coach Steve Nash said he'll use a nine-man rotation and play to win, without holding back his stars. There won't be any minute watching or load management in a monster game like this one.

If Brooklyn wins, they'll be the seven seed and visit the Boston Celtics, currently the two seed. But what about Ben Simmons? Where do things stand with his herniated L-4 disc-back injury? Could he possibly play this post-season or should we just put that idea to bed for the year?

Shams Charania appeared on the “Pat McAfee Show” earlier in the day and shared a potentially huge Ben Simmons update:

“If the Nets win tonight they play Boston this weekend. I think games 1 & 2 is too quick but after that I'd look for Ben Simmons to be back,” Shams said.

 

Before the Nets tipped off vs. Darius Garland, Evan Mobley and the Cleveland Cavaliers, Nash was asked about this report. He seemed to pour some cold water on it.

“I have no idea [if he can be available as early as a possible Game 3 vs. Boston], Nash said. “I don't know where these reports come from, we have no update on the timetable. I don't think that came from us,” Nash said.

“He is moving more, he's shooting, he's starting to move a little bit on the court in a one-on-[zero] environment, so definitely positive signs, and it's improving and moving, all those things but like I said he hasn't been running full speed or playing against anybody so still a lot of markers to meet,” the Nets coach shared. “I would say heavier progress the last week, than the first three weeks or so after that [epidural he received back in mid March],” Nash said.

What about his conditioning? Is his wind where it needs to be, if suddenly the back felt better? Like, can they really expect him to step on the court and lock down Jayson Tatum?

“In a sense, every time he moves a little more that is in a sense conditioning but I wouldn't say that he's like doing wind sprints or things like that,” Nash admitted.

Simmons has not played since game seven vs. the Atlanta Hawks when he was a 76er. It's going on one year. So the longer it goes since he last suited up, the more difficult it may be to step right back on the court and find rhythm. Still, this is something. Just days ago this all felt like a foregone conclusion Simmons wouldn't play. Suddenly, it seems as if he might.

It's interesting that Nash is pumping the breaks on a Simmons return, while Charania is pushing the possibility. It wasn't long ago when the Nets were downplaying this as just a muscle tightness and Charania said it was more serious, maybe month-to-month. Shams has been on the money. And Nash has been more than willing to be vague. Remember when he insisted James Harden wouldn't be traded? So we want to take this with a grain of salt. But we also want to prepare for the possibility of a Simmons return.