Is Ben Simmons playing tonight vs Thunder? Ben Simmons injury update

The Philadelphia 76ers, aiming for a title this year, are currently playing without Ben Simmons. Along with MVP candidate Joel Embiid, the 76ers have been progressing through the season with Ben Simmons as consistent support. However, the possible Defensive Player of the Year candidate has missed multiple games now. So the questions are 'Is Ben Simmons playing tonight?' and 'When is Ben Simmons coming back?'

Ben Simmons injury update: Is Ben Simmons playing tonight?

As per recent reports, Ben Simmons will miss the 76ers next game against the Oklahoma City Thunder. The 76ers are set to face the Thunder on Monday, 7:00 PM EST (Tuesday, 4:30 AM IST) at the Wells Fargo Center in Philadelphia. Apart from Simmons, the team will be missing Joel Embiid and Furkan Korkmaz. 

Ben Simmons return: When is Ben Simmons coming back?

Already on a four-game losing streak, it does not look better for the 76ers, who will play without Embiid and Simmons. Without their two star players, the team lost their games against the Milwaukee Bucks. Simmons, per reports, is out due to a non-COVID-19 illness, which coach Doc Rivers has said, might be the flu. The Ben Simmons return might take longer as a result.

Without Simmons, the 76ers are 0-4. While Embiid is leading the team on the offensive front, Simmons was a pillar of the current roster's foundation. Now, with Simmons and Embiid both sidelined, the 76ers struggle to maintain their top seed in the Eastern Conference. 

Goerge Gill might start without Simmons, which was the case against the Bucks. Tobias Harris and Paul Reed are also listed as questionable. Coach Rivers also spoke about calling Simmons, and asking him about how he is feeling. "I didn’t ask them like, ‘Hey, how are you feeling, and when are you coming back?’ I don’t typically do that. I’ve always learned the trainers will tell us and then the player will tell us," he said, adding that he does not think it is a good place for a coach. Additionally, Rivers said Simmons is doing better, but not great as part of the Ben Simmons injury.

NBA standings

After four straight losses, the 76ers are ranked second in the East with a 39-21 win-loss record. With 41 wins and 20 losses, the Brooklyn Nets have gained the top seed in the East, along with a two-game advantage over the 76ers. The Milwaukee Bucks are third, while the New York Knicks follow, having the same record as the 34-27 Atlanta Hawks. The Utah Jazz continue to lead the league and Western Conference, followed by the Phoenix Suns. 

(Image credits: Ben Simmons Instagram)