Ben Simmons has hit his first hurdle in yet another injury-marred NBA season as Nikola Jokic enjoyed a record-breaking show of dominance, lifting Denver to a 144-139 overtime win over Brooklyn.
Simmons entered the Nets' 2024-25 campaign with renewed optimism despite managing only 57 games over the past three seasons, mostly because of recurring back injuries.
The former No.1 draft pick, who hasn't played for Australia since 2013, said on the eve of the season he was feeling fresh and had not suffered "one setback" since undergoing back surgery in March.
