Ben Simmons Out for Nets vs. Knicks Because of Knee Injury
The Brooklyn Nets announced that guard Ben Simmons will not play Saturday against the rival New York Knicks due to left knee soreness.
Simmons is averaging 7.4 points on 56.6 percent shooting, 6.5 rebounds and 6.4 assists in 27.3 minutes per game over 37 contests this season.
Left leg issues have hindered Simmons all season, his first on the court for the Nets after they acquired him from the Philadelphia 76ers in February 2022.
Left knee soreness and a lateral upper left calf strain kept him out for multi-game stretches in November and December, respectively.
Simmons then left Brooklyn's home game against the Detroit Pistons on Thursday with left knee soreness, prompting him to sit out Saturday.
Simmons missed his 2016-17 rookie season after suffering a fractured the fifth metatarsal bone of his right foot.
He returned in 2017 and started a four-year stretch where he made three All-Star Games and two All-Defensive Teams. Simmons averaged 15.9 points, 8.1 rebounds, 7.7 assists and 1.7 steals per game during those four seasons with the Sixers, and Philadelphia made the playoffs all four years.
Simmons never played for the 76ers again after the team's second-round exit against the Atlanta Hawks in 2021. He requested a trade in the offseason and then sat out to address his mental health.
Following the trade, Simmons missed the remainder of the Nets' 2021-22 campaign due to a back injury. He eventually underwent a microdiscectomy to address a herniated disc.
The 2022-23 season hasn't gone particularly well for Simmons, but he isn't far removed from showcasing All-Star potential on the court.
Brooklyn has struggled in the absence of Kevin Durant lately, and being without Simmons on Saturday will further test the Nets' depth against a strong Knicks team. Kyrie Irving will continue to be the Nets' unquestioned go-to guy in the backcourt, while Seth Curry, Joe Harris and Edmond Sumner are among those who figure to receive increased playing time.
