‘Big confidence, big faith’ in Ben Simmons’ return from back injury – The Denver Post

Mikal Bridges believes a Ben Simmons comeback arc is in store.

In an appearance on the Podcast P show hosted by Los Angeles Clippers All-Star Paul George, Bridges said he’s “got big confidence, big faith” in Simmons, who has spent this summer rehabbing after missing the majority of his games in Brooklyn due to ongoing back issues.

Simmons underwent a microdiscectomy for a herniated L-4 disk in May of 2022, a procedure known to have a recovery timeline in excess of a full calendar year. Bridges said on the Podcast P show he believes confirmation of an actual back injury was good for Simmons, who had become a punching bag for fans on social media angered by his decision to sit out an entire season with the Philadelphia 76ers.

“I think his back was messed up, and him actually going through, getting X-rays and them telling him you had to get surgery, I think it felt good for him because I think people didn’t believe him,” Bridges said. “Because maybe in Philly, he was the little boy who cried wolf sometimes, so he didnt wanna play or some s—t, and now he would say, ‘Oh I’m hurt,’ and people are like, ‘F—k outta here.’ But now he’s actually hurt, but people still don’t believe it. So he was actually hurt and now he’s got surgery, and he’s getting back, but he loves the game, bro.”

Bridges believes a fully recovered Simmons can get back to being the player who became a three-time NBA All-Star feared as one of the league’s best defenders and playmakers. The Nets star said the way things ended for Simmons in Philadelphia created a bad narrative for the embattled forward but reiterated the team is both confident in and supportive of their star teammate.

“Him being confident with his body and knowing the things he could do. I think the things he could do with a back injury — I never had a back injury, I pray to God I don’t — but those are really restrictive. I think he couldn’t do the things he did,” Bridges said. “And what happened in Philly. I think what messed him up – personally, I don’t know, what I think just off seeing things — is him not playing after the Atlanta game and everybody still killing him for not laying the ball up with Trae Young right there.

“So I think him not playing after that, and that’s all Philly remembers, and they’re gonna say that every time, so I think that just f—ked him a little bit — but nah, I’m confident bro. Sky’s the limit. I honestly think he’s gonna be confident, especially healthy, and this new team and everybody’s just supportive of him.”

Simmons has missed 67 of a possible 109 regular-season games since his arrival as part of the Feb 2022 James Harden trade with the Philadelphia 76ers. He averaged seven points, six assists, six rebounds and 1.3 steals per game with the Nets before the organization shut him down due to injury after the All-Star break.

In fact, the 76ers initially drafted Bridges 10th overall in the 2018 NBA Draft before trading him to the Suns the same night. For the brief time Bridges thought he was going to Philadelphia, his hometown, he envisioned Simmons’ gifted playmaking abilities creating easy looks for him on the court.

“I was thinking that coming out of college,” Bridges said on George’s podcast. “You know how many cuts and catch-and-shoots and transition points imma get with Ben?”

Bridges and Simmons played just two games together after the Durant trade before Simmons’ season came to an early end. The two connected on a Hail Mary play at the end of the third quarter of Brooklyn’s 11-point victory over the Miami Heat on Feb. 15.

“We had an out-of-bounds play. It might have been two seconds left,” Bridges recalled. “I told him while somebody shot a free throw. I told him, ‘When you get it out, I’m running down and just chuck it.’ He took the ball out and just threw that [thing] full court. I caught it at the free throw line, tapped it to myself, caught it and hit a middy at the end of the quarter.”

Simmons, however, played 20 minutes and 28 seconds and had two points, four rebounds and four assists that night. Prior to that night, his workload had steadily decreased, and head coach Jacque Vaughn had begun slowly removing Simmons from the regular rotation.

The former Third Team All-NBA selection averaged just 3.6 points, 4.4 rebounds and 3.8 assists in his final five games of the season before sitting the rest of the way out, but Bridges said the team is supportive of him beyond the stats sheet.

“I’ve definitely got faith, man,” he said. “I think he’s in a good place. He f—ks with all of us. We’re close. He’s the one talking in the chat all the time. I think he just feels like he has a lot of friends, and we all f—k with him, and obviously yeah we want him to score and stuff but we not pressed about it.

“We want him to be aggressive and stuff‚ but s—t like even if you’re not, we’re still here for you,” Bridges continued. “You’re still my man, you’re still my brother. I ain’t gonna hate you, none of that. Obviously, we want you to do this because I think it’d be better for the team, but even if you struggle, s—t. That’s cool. Whatever city we’re in, let’s hang out, we’re gonna go get dinner, get ready for the next one. I think that’s the biggest thing: He can be confident enough to fail and know we’re there for him. I think that’s the biggest thing. You don’t want anybody to feel that pressure every single time: ‘Oh if I don’t play well, these guys aren’t gonna like me.’ Nah, for me, that’s not the case.”

Simmons has two more years left on his contract and is owed $77 million as the highest-paid player on Brooklyn’s roster. The Nets were 24-18 in games Simmons appeared in last season but were 2-3 in games Durant missed after the Kyrie Irving deal with the Dallas Mavericks and 2-5 in the games Durant missed due to injury leading up to his trade to Phoenix.

Simmons has career averages of 14.7 points, 7.8 rebounds, 7.5 assists and 1.6 steals per game. During his three seasons in Philadelphia, he averaged 16 points, eight rebounds and eight assists, won 2018 NBA Rookie of the Year and ranked Top 20 in assists, steals, field goal percentage, rebounds and defensive win shares in multiple seasons

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