By Antigoni Zachari / info@eurohoops.net
Ben Simmons is expected to make his long-awaited season debut with the Brooklyn Nets within Games 4 to 6 of the first-round playoff series against the Boston Celtics, The Athletic’s Shams Charania reports Thursday.
Simmons, 25, arrived in Brooklyn via a blockbuster trade in early 2022 but has yet to play a game since June 20, 2021, in the Philadelphia 76ers‘ elimination in the playoffs series against the Atlanta Hawks. His return to action has been slowed down by a back injury, for which he had an epidural injection in mid-March and he has returned to the Nets‘ practice recently.
The series between the Nets and the Celtics begins Sunday (April 17) in Boston and Game 4 is scheduled for April 25 in Brooklyn (Game 5 – April 27, Boston, Game 6 – April 29, Brooklyn if necessary).
Simmons, a three-time NBA All-Star, posted averages of 14.3 points, 7.2 rebounds and 6.9 assists across 58 games with the Sixers in the 2020-21 campaign. He didn’t return to the team at the beginning of the 2021-22 season causing the fallout that ultimately sent him to the Nets in exchange for James Harden, among others.
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