Ben Simmons of the Philadelphia 76ers continues to be in the sidelines and the former top pick needs all the rest he can get. He remains out due to a back injury and there is no clear date on when the 23-year-old can return to action. His absence has hurt the Sixer who are 39-26 in the Eastern Conference.
As most know by now, the NBA is one of many sports leagues around the world which suspended the season. It will be on hiatus for the next 30 days and there is no assurance that it will resume for now. The coronavirus continues to spread and measures are being implemented to try and contain it globally, NBA.com reported.
And while many dread this development, it could be a blessing of sorts for players like Simmons. It would allow him to rest more and recuperate from the back injury that has kept him out of action. According to Sixers Insider Jon Johnson, Simmons is doing well but will remain in the sidelines for the next three weeks. Simmons has yet to indulge in any basketball-related activities and the added time-off should be welcome news.
The decision of the NBA to suspend games would not benefit Simmons alone. There are other players like Joel Embiid and Josh Richardson who could use the respite to fully recover from their injuries. Both of them were already at practice recently, a sign that they will be soon returning to action. Against the Pistons, it was only Richardson who saw action while Embiid did not play. Philly won over Detroit, 124-106.
Looking at the NBA standings now, the Sixers are tied with the Indiana Pacers at the 5th and 6th spots. Ironically, both teams were scheduled to face off next. If ever the league resumes, this is likely to be one of the games to watch. It has big implications on the NBA playoff picture with the winning team securing the 5th position. That team would face the Miami Heat instead of the Boston Celtics unless there are major developments that will tilt the current standings.
The NBA will have a lot of things to do and plan out possibilities moving forward. League commissioner Adam Silver mentioned on "Inside the NBA" that canceling the season is a possibility, probably the extreme move if the coronavirus issue is not contained. If it does resume, tweaks to the schedule could be made. Some games which would be irrelevant could be scrapped if needed. A lot of scenarios can happen as the league tries to adjust to the unfortunate turn of events.
