Brooklyn Nets are desperately seeking to find their best form with Kevin Durant in the initial days of the second half of the 2022-23 season. Their marquee defender Ben Simmons once again handed them an injury scare as he could not contribute in the team’s latest loss against the Oklahoma City Thunder on Sunday, after being held back by coach Jacque Vaughn after a late scratch.
Vaughn revealed that Ben Simmons has been struggling with his back injury, which was the reason he didn’t play for the Nets last season, and should well be a one-game affair. The Nets coach added that the Australian playmaker will be traveling with them for the next contest and is hopeful of playing him in the game.
“He went through warmups and felt some tightness,” Vaughn said postgame. “He’ll be on the trip with us so hopefully it’s one game, I hope so.”
Ben Simmons on his injury
As fans would be aware, the 26-year-old DPOY candidate, Ben Simmons has not yet resembled his old self athletically this season, showing visible discomfort in his back when taking contact at multiple points early in the year.
“I was throwing up because I was in so much pain,” the Nets point forward said as quoted by ClutchPoints. “The pain goes all the way down your leg. I couldn’t sit in a car. Everything I was doing was just f****** painful.”
That being said, the important question remains if we will ever witness Simmons play at the same intensity rate as what we have seen previously.
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