Philadelphia 76ers guard Ben Simmons is scheduled to have an MRI on his aching back, which has prompted concern in the organization about the possibility of a more serious injury, according to a report from ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski.
Simmons aggravated his back injury midway into the first quarter of Saturday’s game against the Milwaukee Bucks. He was “emotional” after leaving the X-ray room in the Bucks’ arena, and team officials are waiting for MRI results before determining next steps, Wojnarowski reported.
Simmons winced in pain after going up for a layup. He exited the contest and immediately retreated to the locker room. The Bucks went on to win 119-98.
The 23-year-old recorded 17 points and six rebounds in the All-Star Game before sitting out the 76ers’ 112-104 overtime victory versus visiting Brooklyn on Thursday with a balky back.
Simmons, who was the top overall pick of the 2016 NBA Draft, entered Saturday’s game averaging 16.9 points, 8.3 assists, 7.9 rebounds and a league-best 2.2 steals this season.
