The Philadelphia 76ers are heading towards the playoffs which begin in roughly five weeks and they will have to play out the final stretch of the regular season mostly without their All-Star point guard.
The Sixers announced earlier on Wednesday that Simmons will be re-evaluated in three weeks which would put his return at around the first week of April. He has not played since February 22 against the Milwaukee Bucks when he suffered the back injury.
“I felt a pinch in my back during the game,” Simmons explained. “I tried to continue through it for a little bit, but obviously, I knew it was something that was bothering me too much. Since then, I’ve been feeling great, just rehabbing.”
Simmons did add later that he had no pain going into the Bucks game and that it did not happen in the All-Star game. That was on the minds of everybody as he did take a hard fall on his back during the game.
In terms of a timetable, Simmons doesn’t know when he will return to the floor, but he is confident that he will return this season.
“I can’t give you dates or a timeline,” he added. “I’m doing well, rehab’s been great, I’m progressing staying in there and doing what I can to come back 100%.”
In terms of the rehab process, he gave his own update on what he has been doing to return.
“Just a lot of treatment things,” he said. “Just working on that nerve, just releasing tension, and getting back to where I was.”
The Sixers He did add that he will not return until he is 100%. That means that he could miss the rest of the season, though he believes he will return at some point, but it is something to think about.
“It’s just something I’m rehabbing now,” the All-Star said. “There’s no timeline on it. So whenever I’m back, I’m back. Whenever I’m 100%, I’m coming back. I’m not here to sit out and just wait, but when I’m healthy, I’ll be playing.”
In terms of surgery, Simmons did add that he doesn’t think it will be an option.
“I think that’s something down the road if it gets there, but I’m doing great,” he said. “I feel great, I’m feeling strong…I have no pain.”
The Sixers have 18 games remaining starting with the Detroit Pistons on Wednesday so they are running out of time to move up in the standings. They are welcoming Joel Embiid back to the lineup, but they will need Simmons back in the lineup for them to really contend. [lawrence-related id=27519,27511,27503]