Kevin Durant doesn't expect Ben Simmons to play vs. Celtics

However, on Thursday, it was reported by The Athletic’s Shams Charania that Simmons is hoping to play by Game 4 to Game 6, if needed, of the Celtics series. Ben Simmons hasn’t played in a professional basketball game since June 20, 2021. He’s remained out during the entire 2022 season due to a recurring back injury and mental health concerns. On the other hand, Nets teammate Kevin Durant does not think Simmons will be ready to play during the Celtics series. “Nah, I’m not expecting him to play,” Durant said, via SNY. “I’m not putting any pressure on Ben to come out there and hoop. I’m not expecting him to do anything but get his body right and get healthy as fast as he can. In my mind, I’m preparing as if we’re playing with the team we have.”
Source: Madison Williams @ Sports Illustrated

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Bill Simmons @BillSimmons
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open.spotify.com/episode/35Ndl4… – 8:26 AM Barbara Barker @meanbarb
I don’t know if this is the world’s most well-coordinated smokescreen. Or if Simmons is not really that near to coming back. But Kevin Durant, Nets say they are preparing for Celtics as if Ben Simmons won’t be ready newsday.com/sports/basketb… via @Newsday – 10:08 PM Marc Berman @NYPost_Berman
James Harden-Ben Simmons hype and other top #NBA playoffs storylines nypost.com/2022/04/14/202… via @nypostsports – 10:03 PM Callie Caplan @CallieCaplan
Dwight Powell on Kevin Durant’s Twitter shoutout: “We don’t have an Achilles group chat or anything, but I think you recognize the work that guys have to do to get through that sort of injury.” – 9:49 PM John Hollinger @johnhollinger
🚨🚨 New Episode 🚨🚨
Hollinger & Duncan NBA Show with @Nate Duncan – Playoff extravaganza!
* Durant and Kyrie vs. Boston’s defense
* Worst mismatches – for both players and coaches
* How strong a favorite are Suns?
* Can Bucks repeat?
* And more!
podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/pla… – 8:58 PM Ian Begley @IanBegley
Ben Simmons isn’t sprinting or doing any work with his teammates yet. But ‘as long as he’s on the court every day, there’s’ optimism about Simmons playing during the Nets-Celtics series: sny.tv/articles/sourc… – 7:31 PM A. Sherrod Blakely @ASherrodblakely
Which will it be, Kevin Durant’s dominance continuing or the next step in Jayson Tatum’s takeover of the league? bleacherreport.com/articles/10032… via @BleacherReport – 5:19 PM Brian Robb @BrianTRobb
There is a reported new target window for Ben Simmons return to the lineup during the Nets-Celtics series masslive.com/celtics/2022/0… – 2:32 PM Ben Rohrbach @brohrbach
I don’t see how the return of Ben Simmons could do anything but disrupt the Nets in the middle of a series against Boston. – 2:24 PM Keith Smith @KeithSmithNBA
Jaylen Brown on not getting caught up in trying to outduel Kevin Durant and Kyrie Irving: “Basketball is a 5-on-5 game. It’s not a 1-on-1 duel. It’s not a 2-on-2 duel. Basketball is 5-on-5.” – 2:06 PM Keith Smith @KeithSmithNBA
Jaylen Brown on the Celtics matching up with Kevin Durant and Kyrie Irving: “It’s exciting. What more can you ask for? Those are two of the best offensive players to touch the ball in NBA history.” – 2:03 PM Jay King @ByJayKing
Jaylen Brown said he is looking forward to the matchup against Durant and Kyrie: “It’s exciting. What more can you ask for? Those are two of the best offensive players to touch a ball in NBA history if you ask certain people.” – 2:02 PM Sirius XM NBA @SiriusXMNBA
According to @Brian Windhorst, Ben Simmons is targeting a return for either Games 4, 5, or 6 in the Boston series
The Voice of the #Nets Ian Eagle tells @talkhoops and @Amin Elhassan what kind of impact he could have #NetsLevel pic.twitter.com/Vn3IZqZiCr – 2:00 PM Brian Lewis @NYPost_Lewis
KD on any Ben Simmons return: “Im not expecting him to play. Im not putting any pressure on Ben to come out there & hoop. I’m not expecting him to do anything but just get his body right & get healthy as fast as he can. Im preparing as if we’re playing w/ the team we have” #Nets – 1:54 PM Jay King @ByJayKing
Daniel Theis: “We can’t just go double team from the first second. They expect it. Double team KD? It’s not easy. He’s a 7-footer basically. So we’re going to guard 1-on-1.” – 1:53 PM Jay King @ByJayKing
Theis on playing the Nets: “For us, we’re excited. We have a big goal so you’ve gotta beat the best teams. And then playing the Nets now with Kyrie and KD, I think it’s going to be fun. And it will be a good test and a good start for us as a team and as players.” – 1:47 PM Brian Lewis @NYPost_Lewis
KD on Jackie Robinson breaking color barrier 75 years ago today: “Still resonates with young athletes, older athletes and people in general. Everybody in the world can relate to what he went through, so his impact is still being felt today, especially here in Brooklyn” #Nets #MLB – 1:44 PM Keith Smith @KeithSmithNBA
Ime Udoka said the Celtis haven’t spent any of the game-planning on Ben Simmons yet.
Udoka also said he hasn’t talked to anyone on the Brooklyn side. Udoka was a Nets assistant last season, and he’s also close with Nets guard Patty Mills from their time in San Antonio together. – 1:30 PM Ian Begley @IanBegley
Nets coach Steve Nash says Ben Simmons is still doing individual work at the moment. Still no sprinting for Simmons. – 1:28 PM John Karalis @John_Karalis
Question: How much time have you spent on the possibility of Ben Simmons playing in this series?
Ime Udoka: None yet. – 1:22 PM Brian Robb @BrianTRobb
Ime Udoka on Celtics prep for possibility of Ben Simmons playing in the series: “None yet.” – 1:22 PM Jay King @ByJayKing
Ime Udoka on how much time he has spent on the possibility of Ben Simmons playing on this series: “None yet.” – 1:22 PM Jared Weiss @JaredWeissNBA
Ime Udoka asked how much time he is spending preparing for Ben Simmons entering the series.
“None yet.” – 1:22 PM Barbara Barker @meanbarb
KD said he isn’t expecting Ben Simmons to play. Just wants him to get healthy and doesn’t want to out that pressure on him. pic.twitter.com/oXirz9w4Kh – 1:16 PM Nick Friedell @NickFriedell
Bruce Brown said KD didn’t talk to him about his comments the other night regarding Horford/Theis. Was he surprised KD said something postgame?
“No,” Brown said with a smile. – 12:59 PM Josh Lewenberg @JLew1050
VanVleet on Embiid: “He was more back to the basket (in 2019), playing like a 5. Now he’s turned into Kevin Durant, Michael Jordan, Kobe, Shaq all put together.” – 12:56 PM Michael Grange @michaelgrange
“He used to be play back-to-the-basket, like a five and now he’s turned into Kevin Durant, Michael Jordan, Kobe, Shaq, all put together” – Fred VanVleet on Joel Embiid’s progress since 2019. – 12:55 PM Kristian Winfield @Krisplashed
KD x Kyrie x Coach’s Meeting pic.twitter.com/4ERMSOFFxe – 12:41 PM Jared Weiss @JaredWeissNBA
Celtics-Nets roundtable 🌉
– Is Bruce Brown right about the Celtics front court?
– How do the Nets handle Boston’s offense?
– Can Celtics switch with KD/Kyrie?
– Prediction time
New w/ @Alex Schiffer @Jay King
theathletic.com/3249164/2022/0… – 12:39 PM Nick Friedell @NickFriedell
KD and Kyrie getting some shots up after practice. Nets are in good spirits — with three practice days ahead of them before heading to Boston pic.twitter.com/yLjkAwnYB1 – 12:37 PM Barbara Barker @meanbarb
KD And Kyrie in practice. Gotta say Nets have the most beautiful practice court in NBA. pic.twitter.com/hOBBraS0Oi – 12:35 PM Ian Begley @IanBegley
From earlier: “I think he’s done a great job. The last two years, he’s been dealt a wild hand.”
– Kevin Durant on Steve Nash, a Citi Bike-riding Brooklynite who seems to have the ideal temperament for his job: sny.tv/articles/shock… – 11:30 AM CBS NBA @CBSSportsNBA
Ben Simmons injury update: Nets star could make team debut in Game 4 vs. Celtics in playoffs, per report
cbssports.com/nba/news/ben-s… – 10:46 AM Jay King @ByJayKing
🚨NEW STORY🚨
Celtics vs. Nets roundtable: Jayson Tatum’s offense, handling Kyrie Irving and Kevin Durant, predictions and more
via @TheAthletic theathletic.com/3249164/2022/0… – 8:30 AM

More on this storyline

Nick Friedell: Nash: “There’s a chance Ben comes back, there’s a chance he doesn’t come back. So I think for us we got to focus on the group — support Ben and his journey to get back on the floor, but at the same time we don’t have time to lose focus on the group that’s playing.” -via Twitter @NickFriedell / April 14, 2022 Shams Charania: Sources: Nets three-time All-Star Ben Simmons is targeting a return within Games 4-6 (April 25-29) of first-round series vs. Celtics. -via Twitter @ShamsCharania / April 14, 2022 Nick Friedell: KD says he’s preparing as if Ben Simmons won’t play. He wants him to continue working on his rehab. If a return happened in the playoffs, he would welcome it — but he won’t let his mind go there yet. -via Twitter @NickFriedell / April 14, 2022