The Brooklyn Nets may finally get Ben Simmons on the court during the first round of the playoffs. Brad Penner-USA TODAY Sports

Ben Simmons to make Nets debut as early as Game 4 vs. Celtics?

By Victor Barbosa | Last updated 4/14/22

On Sunday, it was reported that the Brooklyn Nets were optimistic that three-time All-Star Ben Simmons could make his long-awaited team debut in the first round of the Eastern Conference playoffs. The Nets of course, first had to make sure they earned a spot in the opening round.

After clinching the No. 7 seed via a regular-season finale victory and a Play-In Tournament win over the Cleveland Cavaliers, Brooklyn is set to take on the second-seeded Boston Celtics in a best-of-seven opening round series beginning on Sunday. The Celtics will all but certainly be down starting center Robert Williams, but according to ESPN insider Brian Windhorst's latest report on Thursday morning, Simmons could very well be available by the later stages of the first round.

.@WindhorstESPN says Ben Simmons could make his Nets debut as early as game four against Boston

"For seven, eight weeks now I've heard nothing but pessimism on the Ben Simmons front, and that has switched dramatically in the last few days." pic.twitter.com/5GfhuvKvto
— Get Up (@GetUpESPN) April 14, 2022

This is far from the first time that reports have indicated that Simmons was close to taking the floor with the Nets. After being traded from the Philadelphia 76ers in February as a part of a blockbuster deal that landed the Sixers former MVP James Harden, the Australian was apparently "ramping it up" and nearing his Brooklyn debut late that month.

Simmons' last NBA contest came nearly 10 months ago during Game 7 of the 76ers' shocking second-round playoff exit against the Atlanta Hawks, which saw him struggle mightily in crunch time.

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