Ben Simmons’ back injury will keep the 76ers star sidelined during one of the most crucial portions of Philadelphia’s season.
Simmons recently underwent tests that revealed a nerve impingement in his lower back, per multiple reports. The 23-year-old will “undergo daily treatment and rehab” and will be re-evaluated in two weeks, league sources told The Athletic’s Shams Charania on Tuesday.
Simmons sustained the injury on the play prior to exiting Saturday night in Milwaukee. He will undergo daily treatment and rehab after he consulted with several specialists internally and externally. https://t.co/tuuTVqVd9s
— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) February 25, 2020
According to ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski, however, there is no official timeline for Simmons’ return. The evaluation in two weeks simply will serve as “an initial benchmark date,” though doctors are hopeful treatment “can drive improvement”
Nevertheless, Wojnarowski reports the Sixers are prepared to play without Simmons.
There's no timeline for a Simmons return, but an evaluation in two weeks is more of an initial benchmark date than an expectation of a quick return to the lineup. https://t.co/HqCsag1jvx
— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) February 25, 2020
Simmons was on the court for less than five minutes in the Sixers’ loss to the Milwaukee Bucks on Saturday before exiting the game with back soreness. On Monday, Wojnarowski reported Simmons would be sidelined “for an undetermined amount of time” due to the injury, which head coach Brett Brown later confirmed.
The fifth-place Sixers certainly will miss Simmons’ offensive presence on the court, especially with opponents like the Los Angeles Lakers and Los Angeles Clippers on their upcoming four-game west coast swing. Philly could regain him as early as March 11 when the Sixers host the Detroit Pistons, but it appears he likely could be out even longer than that.
