The Sixers lost Ben Simmons to injury midway through the third quarter.
The Sixers managed their second consecutive win on Wednesday afternoon, downing the Washington Wizards 107-98. It wasn’t a game without hiccups, however — the most notable hiccup being the injury to All-Star forward Ben Simmons.
In the third quarter, Simmons managed to fight a rebound away from Wizards center Thomas Bryant. In the process, however, he landed awkwardly on his right foot and hurt his left knee. He walked gingerly to the corner, lobbed a pass to Al Horford in the post, then immediately walked off the court.
Simmons was quickly joined in the locker room by GM Elton Brand. Late in the fourth quarter, Simmons was briefly shown walking out of the arena with a couple Sixers staff members. It was a slow, labored walk.
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According to ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski, preliminary tests are positive. Simmons is experiencing no significant swelling or pain in his left knee, and he did walk out of the arena under his own power. Still, knee injuries are often tricky and can linger into the future. The Sixers should treat Simmons with an abundance of caution.
When asked about the injury, Brett Brown was frank: “We don’t know.” He hopes for an update soon.
Prior to the injury, Simmons put together arguably his best game inside the bubble. He accumulated a meager eight points, six rebounds, and four assists, but looked significantly improved on defense and led a key second-quarter run with Joel Embiid on the bench. He ended up playing just 22 minutes.
To this point, Simmons has struggled to generate momentum in Orlando. His touch around the basket has been nonexistent, while his defensive funk — up until this Wizards game — was starkly out of character. No matter how heavily the critics pile on him, Simmons remains integral to the Sixers’ success. Hopefully this injury is only a minor setback.
Simmons came into the bubble fresh off his recovery from a back injury. This has been the first season with real injury trails for Simmons. His skill set is rooted in athleticism and power, so his health is paramount to both his (and Philadelphia’s) success.
Expect updates soon.