76ers hopeful over Simmons shoulder injury
![Ben Simmons - cropped](data:image/svg+xml,<svg xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg" viewBox="0 0 800 450"></svg>)
The Philadelphia 76ers are waiting to see how serious Ben Simmons' shoulder injury is after the Australian was forced off in Wednesday's loss to the Utah Jazz.
Simmons was withdrawn in the second quarter of Utah's 106-104 victory with what the team described as "right shoulder soreness", an injury he appeared to sustain when bumping Jazz guard Royce O'Neale in the chest.
Philadelphia face the Denver Nuggets on Friday and Simmons is expected to be assessed on Thursday to determine how long he will be out for.
"I hope he's going to be alright," team-mate Tobias Harris said in quotes published on the Philadelphia Inquirer's website.
"I checked him after the game. He said he's going to be okay. We'll just have to wait for tomorrow and see what happens."
Injury Update:
— Philadelphia 76ers (@sixers) November 7, 2019
Ben Simmons - right shoulder soreness
Will not return.
It was a blow to the 76ers as they got Joel Embiid, another All-Star, back from a ban.
Embiid, who was suspended for two games following his brawl with Minnesota Timberwolves center Karl-Anthony Towns, led the 76ers with 27 points, but head coach Brett Brown admitted his team missed Simmons.
"Defense is where I think we felt the pain of not having him the most," Brown told reporters.
"After that, you're just missing a veteran athlete to come in and keep the group together."
Were Simmons to miss any time, Philadelphia would lean more heavily on Embiid, and he vowed to avoid any more bans following his fracas with Towns.
"Obviously getting suspended is not good for me and the team," he said.
"So it's never going to happen again. But I'm happy to be back."
Published 07 Nov 2019, 14:38 IST