Steve Nash thinks Ben Simmons can return in the regular season. The song is over at 1:07.
Brooklyn Nets star Ben Simmons has remained out with an irritation of the L-4 disc of the lower spine, but there is hope that he can return for a couple of regular-season games before the Eastern Conference playoffs.
Sources said that the target for a return Friday was impossible due to Simmons inability to go more than a day or two in rehabilitation without pain.
Simmons has been receiving treatment for his back and has been working on restarting his basketball activities in 1-on-1 settings. Steve Nash said Wednesday that the hope is that the shot will help with the recovery from Simmons' injury.
The Nets are hoping that Simmons can return to play in regular-season games before the playoffs begin. The Nets will play the Pacers and Pacers in their final two regular season games on April 8 and 10, before the start of the play-in tournament.
Nash said that the Nets will give Simmons a few days to see if he responds to the epidural.
In the Eastern Conference, the Nets are in eighth place. If a team is seeding 7 to 10, they must win one or two games in the play-in to make the playoffs.
Simmons was acquired by the Philadelphia 76ers in a blockbuster deal. He was inactive for the 76ers until the deal sent James Harden to Philadelphia.
The Nets are playing with Kevin Durant on full-time status, and with an unvaccinated Kyrie Irving currently eligible only for road games outside of New York. After the Nets lost to the Dallas Mavericks on Wednesday, Durant expressed his belief that Simmons will stay engaged as he makes his way back.
He's an All-Star, and he's a grown up. He is a veteran in this league. He knows how to stay engaged. I will never hold anyone's hand in this league. He knows that. He doesn't want anyone to make sure he's a professional. We don't want to rush him and hopefully he will be able to play the game that he loves soon. I know he misses it.
Simmons is a two-time All-Defensive first team selection. Simmons averaged 14.9 points, 7.2 rebound, 6.9 assists and 1.6 steals for the 76ers.
The report was contributed to by Nick Friedell.
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