Ben Simmons pain free now?

. @ramonashelburne says Ben Simmons is “pain free” 👀 📽️ “NBA Today”
Source: Twitter @_Talkin_NBA

What’s the buzz on Twitter?

Adrian Wojnarowski @wojespn
ESPN NBA analyst @RJeff24 joins The Woj Pod to breakdown the opening weekend of the playoffs, including Nets-Celtics, Ben Simmons, Wolves-Grizzlies, an ode to the Cavs’ season, much more.
ESPN: es.pn/3jO8N7t
Apple: apple.co/3xCe3Dd – 4:26 PM Kristian Winfield @Krisplashed
Ben Simmons has some pep in his step during pregame workouts today. #NetsLevel #Netsworld pic.twitter.com/kgjiKnd7yH – 2:49 PM Nick Friedell @NickFriedell
Ben Simmons has been getting some dribbling exercises in here pregame for the last 20 minutes or so. These last few pregames it feels like he’s been coming out early to try and get a feel for what it’s like to be on an NBA floor again. – 2:49 PM Mark Murphy @Murf56
Ben Simmons is doing some mid-court dribbling. – 2:46 PM Brian Lewis @NYPost_Lewis
Jumped on with @DHenryTV from @SNYtv to talk #Nets–#Celtics, if Ben Simmons can help when he returns … youtu.be/41OwK_3rasg via @YouTube – 2:32 PM John Gonzalez @JohnGonzalez
honestly we should all send Ben Simmons a thank you card for making this Tyrese Maxey season possible – 8:22 PM Brian Lewis @NYPost_Lewis
#NBA playoff schedule did #Nets ‘huge’ Ben Simmons return favor nypost.com/2022/04/16/nba… via @nypostsports – 7:42 PM Keith Smith @KeithSmithNBA
No surprises for the Brooklyn Nets on their Game 1 injury report. Joe Harris and Ben Simmons are both out. No one else listed on the report. – 4:38 PM Kristian Winfield @Krisplashed
All hands on deck for the Nets for Game 1 against the Celtics, except Joe Harris (ankle surgery) and Ben Simmons (conditioning) – 4:37 PM Mark Medina @MarkG_Medina
Brooklyn Nets officially list Ben Simmons as out for Game 1 tomorrow vs the Boston Celtics – 4:36 PM Alex Schiffer @Alex__Schiffer
Aside from Ben Simmons and Joe Harris, as expected, the Nets have a clean bill of health ahead of Game 1 tomorrow against the Celtics. – 4:36 PM Brian Lewis @NYPost_Lewis
Ben Simmons still has yet to get cleared for contact work. A source close to Simmons: “There’s nothing new there…The next step is to get him cleared for one-on-one stuff, see him bang to see how the back holds up.” #Nets – 2:07 PM Brian Lewis @NYPost_Lewis
Steve Nash on Ben Simmons still not participating fully in practice: “He’s still on his individual program, still working through his rehab and 1-on-0 stuff….He does some running, but like I said no sprinting.” #Nets – 2:05 PM Bill Ingram @TheRocketGuy
Ben Simmons is cleared to practice… There’s a potential Eastern Conference bombshell for you! #NBA – 1:29 PM Barbara Barker @meanbarb
Ben Simmons just turned toward reporters, said “Make sure you get this.” And then he dunked! pic.twitter.com/LYGZ2vou65 – 12:50 PM Nick Friedell @NickFriedell
Ben Simmons just looked over at me and said — “Make sure you get this. Then dunked — and said “There you go.” pic.twitter.com/Kn8pE7NOlQ – 12:47 PM Brian Lewis @NYPost_Lewis
Reporters walked into practice, Ben Simmons turned and looked, said “Make sure you get this” and proceeded to dunk. #Nets pic.twitter.com/FvV7xKQKlr – 12:46 PM Brian Lewis @NYPost_Lewis
Ben Simmons shooting at practice. #Nets pic.twitter.com/Y4imLYe1N2 – 12:45 PM Adrian Wojnarowski @wojespn
ESPN story on plan for Brooklyn’s Ben Simmons to join teammates on the practice floor in the coming week, with a possible return looming later in the Nets-Celtics series: es.pn/3KOw2tX – 11:48 AM Jake Fischer @JakeLFischer
Sources: There’s growing optimism that Ben Simmons could make his Nets and season debut as early as Game 3 against Boston, at Barclays Center next Saturday. – 11:13 AM Emiliano Carchia @Sportando
Nets hopeful to have Ben Simmons back later in series vs Celtics sportando.basketball/en/nets-hopefu… – 11:02 AM Adrian Wojnarowski @wojespn
ESPN Sources: After running and shooting pain-free for over a week, the Brooklyn Nets’ Ben Simmons is expected to take the next step on the court in the coming week: Beginning to go against teammates on the practice floor. – 10:53 AM

More on this storyline

Brandon Robinson: Ben Simmons healthy for the Nets would work wonders in Brooklyn & while Nets coach Steve Nash has been picky with words, I remember what he shared with me last month when he told @BallySports that @BenSimmons25 will be “a problem for other teams in multiple facets of the game.” -via Twitter / April 17, 2022 Nets Daily: WOJ: Nets hoping for Game 5 or Game 6 return for Ben Simmons, starting practice this week. -via Twitter @NetsDaily / April 17, 2022 The Nets will tip off their first-round playoff series in Boston on Sunday. Is there a chance of Simmons playing versus the Celtics? Game 4 won’t be until April 25 at Barclays Center, a day or two later than every other series’ Game 4. The source close to Simmons said that extra time would be a big help in the All-Star’s race against time to return from a herniated L-4 disk. “The NBA did us a huge favor,” the source told The Post. “There’s like 10 days in there .” -via New York Post / April 17, 2022