The Brooklyn Nets will play their seventh game of the 2024-25 season against the Detroit Pistons on Sunday afternoon. The Nets are entering the matchup on a two-game winning streak, having defeated the Memphis Grizzlies and Chicago Bulls. Ben Simmons is dealing with ongoing lower back injury maintenance, but is he playing against the Pistons?
After missing Brooklyn's 144-130 Oct. 29 loss to the Nuggets, Simmons suited up for both of the team's following two matchups. He had one of his most promising performances of the season against the Bulls, amassing eight points, 11 assists, and eight rebounds in 26 minutes. However, Simmons' availability against Detroit is up in the air after his previous two outings.
After being listed as questionable for Sunday's Pistons game due to lower back injury management, Ben Simmons' injury status has been upgraded to "available", per Erik Slater of ClutchPoints.
Hopefully, the seventh-year forward can continue to undergo a safe and efficient recovery process as he keeps his back strong and healthy.
Through his first four games of the 2024-25 season, Simmons is averaging 6.2 points, 6.2 rebounds, and 6.0 assists. While Simmons' relative lack of offensive assertiveness is a point of concern, his sharp playmaking and defensive versatility have helped Brooklyn.
Simmons' showing against the Bulls is a promising sign that fans can expect him to amass a triple-double at some point during the season. Perhaps Simmons' is Brooklyn's X-factor that will the team to make a deeper run by the end of the year.
Nets won't have it easy against Pistons
The Pistons are entering Sunday evening's matchup with a 1-5 record, which places them last in the Eastern Conference standings. However, they are just two games removed from a 105-95 win over the Philadelphia 76ers.
Detroit is hungry for another win, and they will surely give Brooklyn everything they have. The Nets need to keep tabs on the promising backcourt of Cade Cunningham and Jaden Ivey. Cunningham is averaging 25.0 points and 7.2 assists on a 41.0 percent three-point shooting clip, while Ivey has amassed averages of 19.3 points and a team-high 1.0 steals on a 43.8 percent three-point shooting clip.
The Nets have plenty of defensive versatility to help keep Detroit's guards at bay, regardless of Ben Simmons' availability, although he does make things easier.
Brooklyn hopes to extend their two-game winning streak to three with a home win over the young Pistons squad.