While Brooklyn had taken precautions to spare him as much as possible, the back of Ben Simmons starts acting up again. Already deprived of the end of last season due to yet another herniated disc, the Nets leader only lasted six short matches before returning to the infirmary.
Absent for three matches due to hip pain, Ben Simmons had an MRI which revealed nerve compression on the left side of his lower back.
It’s this pinching that’s causing pain in his hip. The duration of his absence remains undetermined for the moment, even if Jacque Vaughn remains positive and tries to lighten the atmosphere.
“I tried to joke with him” reports the Nets coach. “He was on the massage table. I just tried to joke with him, because we had texted each other a few times. You know, these athletes want to play and contribute. And no athlete wants to get hurt. It’s not something he asked for, it’s not something he wants. We’re trying to make our group whole and healthy and have an identity, and he’s part of that identity. Ben has brought an irreplaceable element to our team through his style of play. So I’m going to take a positive approach and hope that in a week he’ll be feeling better and we’ll have some news to share with you.”
| Ben Simmons | Percentage | Rebounds | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Season | Team | MJ | Min | Shots | 3pts | L.F. | Off | Def | Early | Pd | Party | Int | Bp | Ct | Pts |
| 2017-18 | PHL | 81 | 34 | 54.5 | 0.0 | 56.0 | 1.8 | 6.4 | 8.1 | 8.2 | 2.6 | 1.7 | 3.4 | 0.9 | 15.8 |
| 2018-19 | PHL | 79 | 34 | 56.3 | 0.0 | 60.0 | 2.2 | 6.7 | 8.8 | 7.7 | 2.7 | 1.4 | 3.5 | 0.8 | 16.9 |
| 2019-20 | PHL | 57 | 35 | 58.0 | 28.6 | 62.1 | 2.0 | 5.8 | 7.8 | 8.0 | 3.3 | 2.1 | 3.5 | 0.6 | 16.4 |
| 2020-21 | PHL | 58 | 32 | 55.7 | 30.0 | 61.3 | 1.6 | 5.6 | 7.2 | 6.9 | 3.0 | 1.6 | 3.0 | 0.6 | 14.3 |
| 2022-23 | BRK | 42 | 26 | 56.6 | 0.0 | 43.9 | 1.0 | 5.3 | 6.3 | 6.1 | 3.3 | 1.3 | 2.3 | 0.6 | 6.9 |
| 2023-24 | BRK | 6 | 32 | 52.8 | 0.0 | 25.0 | 2.7 | 8.2 | 10.8 | 6.7 | 2.7 | 0.5 | 2.5 | 0.8 | 6.5 |
| Total | 323 | 33 | 56.0 | 13.9 | 59.0 | 1.8 | 6.1 | 7.9 | 7.5 | 2.9 | 1.6 | 3.2 | 0.7 | 14.6 | |
How to read the stats? MJ = matches played; Min = Minutes; Shots = Successful shots / Attempted shots; 3pts = 3-points / 3-points attempted; LF = free throws made / free throws attempted; Off = offensive rebound; Def=defensive rebound; Tot = Total rebounds; Pd = assists; Fte: Personal fouls; Int = Intercepts; Bp = Lost balls; Ct: Against; Pts = Points.
