The Brooklyn Nets continue without raising their heads. After almost a month of competition, the New York franchise occupies the twelfth position in the Eastern Conference with a record of six wins and nine losses, the last one after conceding a whopping 153 points from the Sacramento Kings.
Given the serious defensive problems the team has exhibited thus far, much of the frustration over the team’s direction has centered on Ben Simmons. The three-time All-Star landed in Brooklyn from the 76ers in exchange for James Harden during the market close. However, the player has been at a very low level and has not been able to strengthen the Nets’ rear guard.
Simmons himself has acknowledged that this is due to a knee problem he has been dealing with and the many mental challenges he has faced. Still, the Australian has not asked to prevent a barrage of critics questioning his commitment from hanging over him.
“I understand the skepticism but I think that one thing that I can assure of myself is that I am a competitor,” Simmons said in an interview for The Athletic. “I want to play and I want to win. So I’ll do what I can to be out there. […] I can’t really do anything about it [sobre lo que demás piensen de él]. You can’t make people believe, you know? They weren’t there when I was down and couldn’t walk [debido a su espalda]. They weren’t there when the ambulance took me to the hospital. [después de un partido en febrero de 2020 ante Milwaukee]. People weren’t there so they don’t know anything. In that game against Milwaukee it was the first episode, the original trigger, just before COVID, of my back problems.
“But that’s part of my journey. There were times when I couldn’t walk. I could not sleep. A lot of things were happening to me, physically, and everything was also very difficult mentally. But I can’t say anything that will help people understand it.
In addition, Simmons added that his recent knee problems have forced him to inject himself with platelet-rich plasma and drain fluid from it on several occasions. Thus, the Nets are still confident that he can fully recover to establish himself as that defender and game distributor that they expected when his closed his trade with the 76ers. At the moment, his averages reach 5.8 points, 6.1 rebounds and 5.6 assists per game.
(Cover photo by Tim Heitman/Getty Images)
