Simmons' injury, Durant's return signal tortuous times for Nets

Brooklyn Nets guard Ben Simmons (10). Wendell Cruz-USA TODAY Sports

Ben Simmons' injury, Kevin Durant's return signal tortuous times for Nets

By Victor Barbosa | Last updated 1/31/24

Phoenix Suns All-Star Kevin Durant and his newest "Big Three" travel to take on the struggling Brooklyn Nets on Wednesday night.

The contest will be Durant's first time back at the Barclays Center since his trade to the Suns nearly one year ago. He and fellow superstars Bradley Beal and Devin Booker invade the Big Apple at a time when Nets guard Ben Simmons is dealing with yet another injury.

Simmons is listed as questionable as of Wednesday afternoon, but Brooklyn fans have come to expect the worst when it comes to the Australian.

When Durant, Beal and Booker take the floor, it will also represent just the 17th time that the trio share the court in their first 48 games together as teammates. As Nets fans well know, it's more time than KD ever had with his last "Big Three" though.

Kevin Durant, Devin Booker, and Bradley Beal will play their 17th game as a trio tonight in Brooklyn.

The Nets’ big three of Durant, James Harden, and Kyrie Irving only played 16 games together (including playoffs).

Phoenix enters tonight 10-6 with their trio. Brooklyn was 13-3… pic.twitter.com/RcpLE6G1O5
— Billy Reinhardt (@BillyReinhardt) January 31, 2024

Simmons made a triumphant return to action on Monday after missing 38 straight games with a back injury, nearly posting a triple-double on a perfect 5-of-5 night from the floor in just 18 minutes off the bench against the Utah Jazz.

The newest injury, which is to the same knee that gave him trouble last season, reportedly occurred in his final minute on the court vs. Utah.

Brooklyn entered 2024 at 15-18 but has gone 4-9 in January. Phoenix, meanwhile, has been one of the hottest teams in recent weeks.

The Suns left their Christmas Day loss to the Dallas Mavericks at 14-15 and in 11th place in the Western Conference. They've won 13 of 18 since then to improve to 27-20 and move up to sixth place in the standings.

Durant and his new co-stars are joined by former Nets players James Harden and Kyrie Irving out west with the Los Angeles Clippers and Mavericks (26-21), respectively.

Harden is playing like an All-Star again, helping lead the Clippers (30-15) to the fourth-best mark in the conference. Irving is teaming up with Dallas sensation Luka Doncic to get their squad into seventh place as the All-Star break approaches.

Seeing each member of their short-lived "Big Three" succeed in their new environments this season is making things go from bad to worse for the Nets.

More must-reads: