Ben Simmons Won't Play vs. Pistons Due to Back Injury

Philadelphia 76ers star point guard Ben Simmons will not play in Tuesday's game against the Detroit Pistons due to a back injury. 

Keith Pompey of the Philly Inquirer reported the news. 

Any injury to Simmons is a major cause for concern in Philly. After missing the entirety of the 2016-17 season with a Jones fracture, he won the Rookie of the Year award last season after averaging 15.8 points, 8.2 assists, 8.1 rebounds and 1.7 steals per game. 

He posted 38 double-doubles and 12 triple-doubles, remarkable numbers for a rookie. 

He left the Sixers' last game against the Orlando Magic with lower back tightness.

Simmons is one of the brightest young superstars in the NBA. His passing vision, elite athleticism and size make him a unique matchup for opposing defenses and an absolute terror in transition. He's also proven to be a more impactful defender than he showed in his one year at LSU, giving the Sixers one of the longest and most active defenses in the NBA, highlighted by two-way superstar Joel Embiid.

In Embiid and Simmons, the Sixers have their star pairing for the future. Surrounded by solid role players in Dario Saric, Robert Covington, JJ Redick, Markelle Fultz and T.J. McConnell, the Sixers seem poised to make their second straight postseason appearance as one of the Eastern Conference's true contenders.

Any time without Simmons will be a test for Philly, however. In his wake, Fultz will step to the forefront as the point guard, a role he's seemed more comfortable playing than being off-ball when on the court with Simmons. McConnell will also earn a healthy chunk of minutes off the bench, while the Sixers could also turn to Landry Shamet to handle some playmaking duties in a pinch.