People are not taking it easy on Ben Simmons of the Brooklyn Nets.
The entire NBA world is piling on Simmons after it was announced that he wouldn’t play in Game 4 of the first round of the playoffs.
This came after days of assurances that he would in fact return to the floor for the first time in nearly a year.
The reason for Simmons’ extended absence is a nagging back injury.
But fans and analysts don’t care what Simmons’ excuse is: they are sick of him missing games.
Stephen A. Smith on Ben Simmons:
"This is one of the most pathetic
situations that I've ever seen in my
life.”(via ESPN) pic.twitter.com/rhREdptmDj
— Legion Hoops (@LegionHoops) April 24, 2022
Of course, ESPN’s Stephen A. Smith was one of the loudest voices hammering Simmons.
“This is one of the most pathetic situations that I’ve ever seen in my life,” Smith said.
Is there any way for Simmons to silence his critics?
Simmons Sidelined
Simmons hasn’t played an NBA game since last postseason when his Philadelphia 76ers were eliminated from the playoffs.
That was a nightmare of a series for him, as he completely collapsed on offense and became a sore spot for all 76ers fans.
This led to him not playing with the team, demanding a trade, claiming he was suffering from mental health issues, and playing hardball with the front office.
Eventually, he was traded to the Nets in a package that sent James Harden to Philly.
Yet, a change of scenery hasn’t gotten him back in the game.
This back injury has kept him on the bench since moving to New York and now it appears he won’t play this season at all.
It’s a bad look, especially since his Nets are down 3-0 against the Celtics.
To many, it looks like Simmons is too afraid to play or doesn’t want to waste his energy in a losing battle.
Simply put, it feels like he isn’t a team player when his squad needs him most.
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