Ben Simmons’ NBA season is over without playing a single minute as the Boston Celtics completed a stunning four-game NBA play-offs sweep of the highly-fancied Brooklyn Nets.
Boston became the first team to reach the second round of the post-season with a 116-112 road victory that clinched a 4-0 series whitewash.
Jayson Tatum scored 29 points, Jaylen Brown had 22 and Marcus Smart added 20 points and 11 assists for the No.2-seeded Celtics, who made easy work of what was thought could be a tough series.
“It’s funny to us, because we don’t duck and dodge anybody,” Smart said. “We knew what we were going to come in here and do.”
Boston will wait for the winner of the series between Milwaukee and Chicago. The defending champion Bucks hold a 3-1 lead in that series.
Kevin Durant had 39 points, nine assists and seven rebounds but it wasn’t enough to rein in Boston as the Nets succumbed in what is ultimately a massive failure of a season for a team expected to contend for the title.
Kyrie Irving, whose unavailability for home games much of the season because he isn’t vaccinated against the coronavirus contributed to the Nets performing so far below expectations, had 20 points while Seth Curry, a trade acquisition late in the season along with Simmons from Philadelphia, had 23.
The Nets hoped they could have Simmons make his debut for them in the must-win game but he was ruled out Sunday with more pain in his back.
Coach Steve Nash said he didn’t want to speak for Simmons but acknowledged there was a mental side beyond the physical problems the Australian is facing.
Simmons cited mental health concerns as a reason he sought to leave Philadelphia and didn’t suit up for the 76ers or Brooklyn this season.
“As far as an organisation, we’re really pushing to support Ben in any way we can to help him improve physically and get back on the court, and then the mental side of that is part and parcel.,” Nash said.
“They’re not separate, they’re not something that we don’t want to deal with. We want to help if he needs help in any aspect of his life and his game.”
Meanwhile, the Toronto Raptors are returning home to host Game 6 against the Philadelphia 76ers after winning on the road 103-88.
The Raptors have won two straight to extend their eastern conference series and jumped all over injured Sixers centre Joel Embiid and the ineffective James Harden to make Thursday night’s game a necessity.
Chris Lewis
Roar Guru
Circus over, until next season.
.kraM
Roar Rookie
Less Simmons, more Celtics ☘️
Rossy
Roar Rookie
So he quit on his godfather and put in zero effort? Great sign. Guys a quitter and mentally weak, not a good recipe for pro athlete success. There’s noise because he’s spent half a decade rubbing pretty much everyone in basketball the wrong way.
Rossy
Roar Rookie
That’s commonplace, it’s nothing to do with that - he didn’t even finish the year and he chose to go to a 3rd tier program rather than compete with the best and then coasted and couldn’t even get them to the tournament.
jameswm
Roar Guru
You do realise others have left college after 1 year, right? Like Zion, recently?
BigMike@5
Guest
Hey I have followed Ben from his LSU days which by the way wasn't the assistant coach his Godfather so he had good reason to suit up with them. Not his fault they weren't a good team & besides(again) he was a 1 & done baller who didn't care for the college system. Anyway I am sticking with him. As anyone who can't get over a bad back would know it's the worst thing. He'll be back for the new season fresher just needs a break from all the "noise" ..you hearing this Stephen A & co.
Rossy
Roar Rookie
Forgot to mention - bailed on the Boomers at the olympics with our best ever team of NBA vets where he could have developed and learned on the world stage. The guy just doesn’t care about basketball but wants to be paid full freight like he does.
Rossy
Roar Rookie
What a disaster. Simmons has won no friends over his career. Went the soft option at LSU instead of developing at a real program, quit on the team. Acted entitled at Philly and shirked it at key moments, never bothered to become even a passable FT shooter and attack the rim with his athleticism. Then traded and pulls this rubbish on the Nets.