Ben Simmons is still not ready to get back into the action after almost a year away from basketball when his team needs him the most.
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The Brooklyn Nets are likely going to crash out of the first round of the 2022 NBA playoffs. And so, Ben Simmons would officially have 0 games played in the entire 2021-22 season.
For Game 4 at the Barclays Center, the Nets listed the number 1 draft pick of 2016 as “out” on the injury report. They have their biggest game of the year on Monday, which will have their season on the line, as they are 0-3 in the series as of now.
The Celtics meanwhile after Sunday’s 109-103 victory on the road are oozing with confidence. With nobody out injured and having their All-Defensive First Team caliber 6’9 player – Robert Williams III back in the line-up, they’d be waiting for the series to get it done with.
Nets meanwhile will not have their 6’11, 2x All-Defensive First Team point guard to help them win this crucial game citing “back pain” which has earned him league-wide criticism from players and media members.
“Ben Simmons really sat out an entire season because Joel Embiid and Doc Rivers hurt his feelings”: NBA Twitter roasts former Sixers guard
It all started with the open criticism of his one particular play in the Game 7 of the 2021 Eastern Conference Semi-finals, at the hands of Joel Embiid and Doc Rivers.
The top-seeded Sixers team got eliminated by the Atlanta Hawks due to some of their late-game blunders. Embiid while taking some blame himself criticized both Simmons and Matisse Thybulle for their fault. So did their Head Coach. NBA Twitter thinks he is still sour about that or they are sarcastic.
Ben Simmons really sat out an entire season because Joel Embiid and Doc Rivers hurt his feelings
— BGN (@BGN_5) April 24, 2022
Ben Simmons when asked to play Game 4 pic.twitter.com/xEBzkpfonG
— Dani (@Danizeh) April 24, 2022
Ben Simmons has officially completed the biggest heist in NBA history. He really sat out an entire season! Carry on…
— Kendrick Perkins (@KendrickPerkins) April 24, 2022
nah Ben Simmons gotta be the worst teammate ever he watching his team fight for their playoff lives while he sitting there like a pack of Skittles 😭 pic.twitter.com/nctc8AEujM
— LakeShowYo (@LakeShowYo) April 24, 2022
Simmons took so much offense to that “public” criticism, that he decided to sit out the 2021-22 season unless the Sixers trade him while citing mental health issues. And now that he has got what he wanted, he’s not making himself available is just creating doubt in everyone’s mind that he even wants to play basketball or not.
That might remain a mystery until the next season starts or Kevin Durant and Co pull off some unimaginable comeback and win 4-straight games on the trot.