As the Nets approach the final 10 games of their regular season, head coach Jacque Vaughn believes embattled star forward Ben Simmons will make a return from the combination of back and left knee soreness that has left him sidelined since the Feb. 19 NBA All-Star break.

Vaughn said for the fifth time since Simmons both had fluid drained from his left knee and received a platelet-rich plasma (PRP) injection over the break that he has had “zero conversation” about shutting the former All-Star forward down for the remainder of the regular season.

Asked if he’s operating under the belief that Simmons will play again this season, Vaughn said: “Definitely operating under that belief. … There’s been zero conversation about him not playing. We’re expecting him to be back. We’re waiting for him to be back.”

Simmons missed five straight games from Jan. 28 through Feb. 6 due to left knee soreness. He returned to the rotation and played five straight games entering the All-Star break and has not played since the nine-day layoff.

Vaughn said Simmons reported soreness in both his back and his left knee but said on Thursday he has had no setbacks during his rehab and that he has progressed to “doing some work on-court.”

Vaughn declined to provide details about the nature of Simmons’ practice work.

“I’m just gonna say on-court so that we have no interpretation of how many people were on the court, how many balls were on the court, how many defenders,” he said.

He also declined to provide an injury timeline.

“The ultimate goal was that we don’t have a reoccurrence [of soreness in his lower back and left knee],” Vaughn said. “We get feedback every time he’s on the floor, what the strengthening has done for both the back and the knee to see if …read more

Source:: The Denver Post