Brooklyn Nets forward Ben Simmons’ pain-free progress is fueling hope that he could return in the first-round of the Eastern Conference playoffs, even if it’s just in a 10-15 minute a game role, sources told ESPN on Sunday. The Nets would need to advance out of the Play-in Tournament this week and, given continued progress with his back, the hope would be that Simmons could possibly be cleared to play later in a first-round playoff series.