Ben Simmons has come in for heavy criticism after the Australian was ruled out of Game 4 of Brooklyn’s NBA playoff series against Boston, making it possible he will not play at all this season.
The Nets listed Simmons as out on the injury report for the game on Monday night, when they will be trying to avoid a sweep by the Celtics after Sunday’s 109-103 defeat at the Barclays Center left them 3-0 down in the series.
His continued absence from the court in a Nets jersey prompted some commentators to take aim, with former player Reggie Miller claiming the Australian has “zero competitive fire”.
Simmons has been working his way back from a herniated disk in his back and coach Steve Nash said before Game 3 on Saturday the No 1 pick in the 2016 draft had no setbacks after a 3-on-3 scrimmage earlier in the day.
But he also cautioned there was still a lot to consider as they weighed inserting Simmons into a game when he had not played since Game 7 of the Eastern Conference semi-finals last year for Philadelphia.
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Simmons then requested a trade and refused to play for the 76ers this season, citing mental health concerns. Philadelphia sent him to Brooklyn in February in a trade deadline deal for James Harden, but Simmons began to experience back pain soon after while trying to work his way back into shape.
Former Indiana Pacers star Miller, now a TV pundit, used social media to express his frustration with the 25-year-old’s lack of game time since his move to Brooklyn.
“Cmon MAN!!! Out for Game 4 when it was rumored you were going to make your debut,” Miller tweeted. “This dude has ZERO competitive [fire emoji].
“As small a chance as the Nets have to come back in this series, you still have KD [Kevin Durant] and Kyrie [Irving], all you need is to win ONE game and take it from there. #ManUp.”
Respected ESPN presenter Stephen A Smith also joined in the pile-on, saying it was “one of the most pathetic situations” he had ever seen.
“He ain’t going to war, he ain’t going to the octagon [MMA], he’s not going in a boxing ring,” he said. “It’s pulling teeth to get this man to play basketball.”
Without Simmons, the Nets are seeking to make NBA history as the first team to come back from a 3-0 deficit in a playoff series.