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Brooklyn Nets point guard Ben Simmons, who has been sidelined for three months due to a nerve impingement in his back, is expected to return Monday vs. the Utah Jazz, according to head coach Jacque Vaughn.
Simmons participated in scrimmages with a combination of Nets players and coaches earlier this week. He then practiced with Brooklyn’s G-League affiliate in Long Island on Saturday and made it through with no setbacks.
The three-time All-Star has missed Brooklyn’s last 37 games due to the injury in his surgically repaired back. Simmons appeared in six games before the setback, averaging 6.5 points, 10.8 rebounds and 6.7 assists.
The extended absence marks the third consecutive season Simmons has battled a back ailment. After sitting out the entire 2021-22 season due to a back injury and mental health issues, the Aussie had surgery on his L-4 and L-5 discs during the 2022 offseason. He appeared in 42 games last season before being shut down due to a nerve impingement in the right side of his back.
After a seven-month rehab process, Ben Simmons said this summer that his body was “the strongest it had been” since he joined Brooklyn. Despite this, he was sidelined by an impingement in the lower left side of his back two weeks into the season. Simmons finding a way to stay on the floor for an extended period could offer a much-needed boost for Brooklyn.
The Nets have fallen to 11th in the Eastern Conference amid a 4-17 stretch over their last 21 games. A lack of ball-handling and point-of-attack defense has been central to their struggles. Brooklyn ranks 25th in offense and 19th in defense while posting the NBA’s third-worst effective field goal percentage during that span.
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Luka Doncic addresses fitness, article hints Mavs to blame for issues
For weeks, the Dallas Mavericks tried to blame Luka Doncic for the decision to trade him to the Los Angeles Lakers, leaking reports about his work ethic and conditioning. Fans and analysts have called him out multiple times in his career for seemingly being out of shape. In an interview with Men's Health, the Los Angeles Lakers star addressed his fitness. The article suggested that his former team failed to give him proper guidance to stay in shape between seasons. "At the start of his NBA career, Doncic mostly received advice from Mavs trainers and nutritionists. During the offseasons, when he returned to Europe, the limited guidance left him flailing. And during the season, the vicious NBA travel schedules gave him little time to clean up his diet," wrote Andrew Heffernan and Ebenezer Samuel in the article. Even so, Doncic isn't going to sit around and blame the Mavericks or anybody anymore. He's taking the bull by the horns and looking to control what he can control, which is what he does to take care of his body. “Obviously, be the best that I can be, take care of myself,” Doncic said. “This year, with my team, I think we did a huge step. But this is just the start, you know. I need to keep going. Can’t stop.” Doncic is one of the most talented players the game has ever seen, but talent can only get you so far. And with LeBron James by his side, he should take a page out of his teammate's book and treat his body like a temple. If he gets and stays in shape, the rest of the league will be in a lot of trouble.
Kirk Cousins makes notable leadership move after Falcons practice
Kirk Cousins might be relegated to the job of backup quarterback, but he is showing veteran leadership to his Atlanta Falcons teammates. Following Sunday's practice, Cousins pulled aside rookie defensive end James Pearce to encourage the first-round pick after his fourth practice in the league at Flowery Branch, Georgia. "QB Kirk Cousins pulled aside Pearce after practice to compliment him on a pass batted down," wrote Marc Raimondi of ESPN. Cousins reportedly had a solid day of practice on Sunday, going 7-of-12 passing against the first-team unit. If Cousins wants out of Atlanta, he's not showing it at practice. The four-time Pro Bowl quarterback is competing on the field and being a good teammate around the facility. Cousins' actions on the field backed up what Falcons general manager Terry Fontenot praised Cousins for before the team's practice on Sunday. “Outside, it's a lot more of a deal than it is in the building,” Fontenot said to the media about the idea of friction between the Falcons and Cousins, per video from D. Orlando Ledbetter of the Atlanta Journal Constitution. “He shows up, he does his job, just like anybody ... We've gotta build the best 70-man roster so we can go win games. "That's what we're focused on, and Kirk, just like all the other players, is focused on coming in here and doing their job. That's what he's been doing." Fontenot didn't dismiss the idea that Atlanta would trade Cousins before the season. He said the Falcons will do whatever it takes to make the team better, but stressed that Cousins has been a professional throughout the process of being replaced by Michael Penix Jr., a first-round pick from the 2024 draft. “In terms of making moves, whether it's trades or acquiring players, we're always looking at those factors," Fontenot said. "We're gonna do whatever we can do to make this team the best it can possibly be. But he's been a great professional, and he's handled himself well.” Cousins is coming to work in a manner that will make another owner want to take a chance on the veteran quarterback. That could be one of his best-selling points before he plays in his 13th season in the league.
Why SS Bo Bichette's stellar play could cost Blue Jays
The Toronto Blue Jays have the best record in Major League Baseball. Depth contributions throughout the lineup and on the pitching staff are a major factor in their success, but what might be even more important is the heater shortstop Bo Bichette is on. Like most of the rest of the team, after a slow start, Bichette has found his groove, and he put it all on display as Toronto (63-43) won three of four at AL Central-leading Detroit from Thursday-Sunday. Already with two RBI on Thursday and Friday, Bichette added two RBI in Saturday's 6-1 win that included this unreal 13-pitch at-bat against Tarik Skubal. Not many are taking arguably the best pitcher in baseball 13 pitches deep and forcing a walk. In Toronto's 10-4 loss Sunday, Bichette went 5-for-5 with two more RBI. Per StatMuse, it was his fourth five-hit game in the big leagues. Bichette entered the four-game series with a .281 average and now heads to Baltimore with a .289 average. That's superstar stuff from the 27-year-old two-time All-Star. Through 103 games, Bichette has 13 HRs and 65 RBI, putting him on pace for a 20-HR, 99-RBI season. He has driven in 100 runs only once during his seven-year MLB career. Bichette is doing himself wonders in a contract year, especially after a down, injury-plagued 2024 season. Toronto's chance to extend him at a discounted rate is long gone, and it feels like a formality that Bichette will at least test the market this winter. We've seen megadeals handed out to some of the league's best shortstops in recent years, including the Mets' Francisco Lindor, Texas' Corey Seager, Philadelphia's Trea Turner and Minnesota's Carlos Correa. Combine that with the increasing contract values around baseball, and Bichette is set to receive a massive payday. For now, Bichette's focus is on helping the Blue Jays win and make a postseason run that includes Toronto's first World Series title since 1993.
Bruins' David Pastrnak Calls Out Canadiens' Juraj Slafkovsky: He Just Lacks Humility'
Juraj Slafkovsky is one of the most promising players in the NHL, but now he has been called out by David Pastrnak, who stated he lacks humility. After being picked No. 1 overall in 2022 NHL Draft, expectations were high in Montreal for young star Juraj Slafkovsky, and thus far, he's shown glimpses of being the elite level player many expected when he entered the National Hockey League. However, there are still some major steps to go, and in a recent interview, Boston Bruins star David Pastrnak pointed out perhaps one area where the 21-year old may need to improve moving forward. When asked about Slafkovsky and his potential, Pastrnak gave nothing but a glowing review of the young Canadiens star, but he did note that he believes Slafkovsky needs more humility. 'He's still a young player who is gaining experience in the NHL every year. This season it was already clear that he gave the team more than before...He just needs a little more humility, he should set an example for the young ones.' On the ice, there's no doubting that Slafkovsky has the presence, the size and the talent to be a true star, posting 101 total points over the past two seasons, but for whatever reason, it appears as though Pastrnak believes he needs to improve off the ice before he can take a major leap in Montreal. Ultimately, the talent is still there for Slafkovsky, and at 21-years old, he'll continue to learn off the ice, and if he can go anywhere close to living up to the potential that he's shown in his first three years at the NHL level, there's no doubt that he can be a big time star and help lead the Canadiens to significant post-season success.
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