MEMPHIS, Tenn. — The Nets avoided any worst-case scenarios with Ben Simmons.
The point guard played 15 minutes in a 111-86 win over the Grizzlies on Monday after having initially been listed as questionable with a sore left leg.
Simmons had been forced out of Saturday’s loss in Minnesota with 8:04 left in the third quarter and didn’t return.
The decision whether or not to play him went right up until just before tipoff Monday, as he tested his leg in pregame warm-ups before being cleared.
Any health concerns with Simmons are magnified by his history.
The oft-injured guard, who finished with four points, six rebounds and three assists, was playing just his 57th game for the Nets — 15th this season — after being acquired at the 2022 trade deadline at the cost of former MVP James Harden. Most of that missed time is due to a herniated disc, and leg injuries brought on by those back woes.
Center Nic Claxton has seen his productivity dip over the past few weeks.
“We want them to just crash the boards; we want him to block shots. We want him to get out and run. We put some different plays in there for him. You know how Nic is. Nic is a supreme athlete and we can get out and pace and run, I think he’ll be just fine,” Kevin Ollie said.
“Then it’s all hunting and fighting. You know blocking shots, protecting our rim. And I think we all love Nic when he does that. And I think that’s what our team needs. And that goes back to that grid that goes back to the GPS on the things that we need from him on a day-to-day basis.”
The Nets were outscored by a staggering 93 points in their prior three games, an average of 31 per night. It was the worst three-game stretch since they joined the NBA.
Their offense has looked busted. Forget the century mark; the Nets didn’t even crack 90 points in any of those three blowouts, mustering an average of just 85.
Dariq Whitehead was the only Net missing due to injury, out with a left shin stress reaction. Fellow first-round pick Noah Clowney is with Keon Johnson and two-way Jaylen Martin at G-League Long Island.
The Nets’ two teen rookies are among the four youngest players in the NBA this season. But the league’s youngest in Memphis’ second-round pick G.G. Jackson, who at the age of 19 was averaging 11.3 points on 40-percent shooting from behind the arc.
While the Nets were healthy, Memphis looked like a MAS*H unit. Desmond Bane (left ankle), Brandon Clarke (left achilles), John Konchar (left thumb) and Ja Morant (right shoulder) were all out.