Nets' Ben Simmons 'Feeling a Lot Less Pain' with Back Injury After Epidural

Brooklyn Nets head coach Steve Nash said Friday that guard Ben Simmons is improving in his recovery from a back injury.

According to Brian Lewis of the New York Post, Nash said Simmons has made progress and "is feeling a lot less pain."

Simmons, who has yet to appear in a game this season, recently received an epidural to treat a herniated disk.

After beginning the season with the Philadelphia 76ers, Simmons was traded to the Nets on Feb. 10 as part of a blockbuster deal that sent James Harden to Philadelphia.

Simmons had declined to play for the Sixers this season because of mental health struggles as well as a desire for a change of scenery.

While Simmons seemed to be gearing up for his Nets debut this month, back issues have prevented that from happening. Per The Athletic, Simmons has dealt with back problems since February 2020 when he suffered a nerve impingement.

Brooklyn has gone 9-10 since the Harden-for-Simmons trade, although that is actually a significant improvement since it was riding a nine-game losing streak before the trade.

In recent weeks, the duo of Kevin Durant and Kyrie Irving has carried the load for the Nets. While Irving had not been allowed to play in any home games this season because of COVID-19 restrictions against unvaccinated individuals in New York City, that mandate was lifted this week, meaning he can now play at Barclays Center.

Adding Simmons to the mix would be a huge move for the Nets as well, especially since he is an elite perimeter defender.

Simmons is a three-time All-Star, and he finished second in the NBA Defensive Player of the Year voting last season.

He also owns career averages of 8.1 rebounds, 7.7 assists and 1.7 steals per game, proving that he is capable of contributing in multiple areas.

Simmons isn't much of a scoring threat with a career scoring average of 15.9 points per game and a total of five three-pointers made over four seasons, but he doesn't need to score much on a team with Durant and Irving as well as Seth Curry and Patty Mills.

Entering Friday, the Nets have nine games to go during the regular season, and they are in eighth place in the Eastern Conference with a 38-35 record. That means they would have to play in a postseason play-in game if the standings remain the same.

Getting into the top six isn't impossible, though, as they are three games behind both the Cleveland Cavaliers and Toronto Raptors, who are tied for sixth.

Simmons would help immensely down the stretch and in the playoffs, although the Nets haven't provided a firm timetable for his return.