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Ben Simmons' clean bill of health to start 2024-25 took a turn for the worse on Sunday. The three-time All-Star exited the Brooklyn Nets' 100-92 loss to the Orlando Magic due to a knee contusion and did not return.
Simmons logged 11 minutes during the defeat, finishing scoreless on one shot attempt with five assists. He revealed postgame that he had been tending to the knee ailment leading up to the matchup.
“It was something I was dealing with prior to the game, so I was just trying to see if I could go on it. It was just getting too much, so I made the decision,” Simmons said. “It's been something I've been dealing with the last year-and-a-half. So just got to monitor it and stay on it.”
Simmons missed extended periods due to his left knee during the last two seasons. He had it drained and received PRP injections twice during the 2022-23 campaign. The Nets point guard said Sunday that the nagging ailment is related to his numerous back injuries.
“It's all connected. It's just managing it. I'm playing more minutes, so my body is trying to catch up,” he said.
Simmons had been ruled out for Monday's road matchup with the Chicago Bulls before suffering the injury, as he has not been cleared for back-to-backs.
Recurring knee ailment sidelines Ben Simmons during Nets loss vs. Magic
Simmons has been unable to remain on the court for an extended period since joining the Nets at the 2022 trade deadline. Brooklyn shut him down midway through the last two seasons due to nerve impingements caused by bulging discs in his back. However, he said he was 100 percent entering 2024-25.
While Simmons said his body needs to catch up due to increased minutes, the Nets have carefully managed his load this season. The Aussie has appeared in 16-of-21 games while playing 24.3 minutes per night, nearly the same as he did during 15 games last season (23.9).
When on the floor, Simmons has continued to look increasingly passive offensively. He's averaged 5.4 points on 4.4 field goal attempts per game, both career-lows, to go with 5.8 rebounds and 6.6 assists.
The former No. 1 pick turned in his most encouraging performance of the season during Wednesday's win over the Phoenix Suns. He posted 14 points, nine rebounds and eight assists on 7-of-8 shooting. However, he followed it up with a dud during Friday's loss to the Magic, as he tallied four points on two shot attempts in 26 minutes.
With Simmons and Noah Clowney sidelined, Nic Claxton will be the Nets' only available center against Chicago. Brooklyn is set to receive much-needed frontcourt reinforcements this week, with Day'Ron Sharpe expected to return to the lineup following an extended absence due to a hamstring strain.
