04/14: Injured ankles take toll on Bucks' Simmons
BY GERY WOELFEL [/ The Journal Times]
After the Bucks-Wizards' game Wednesday night at the Bradley Center, I asked Bucks starting forward Bobby Simmons if he was disappointed by his play of late.
After all, Simmons hasn't played well and certainly not up to his capabilities. His sub-standard play has been a topic of radio call-in shows, with many of the callers bemoaning the fact the Bucks signed him to a lucractive free-agent contract last summer.
Simmons admitted some of his shots he normally makes just haven't been falling lately. But then Simmons paused, seemingly holding back on another reason. After some prodding, Simmons revealed he's been playing on two bad ankles. For any athlete, that's not a good thing, especially for a pro basketball player who is constantly running and jumping.
Simmons said he sprained his right ankle in a game against Dallas on Jan. 16 - or 42 games ago. Simmons could deal with that. But then, on March 28 in a game against Phoenix at the BC, Simmons sprained his left ankle. Simmons is trying to deal with that, too, but it's so much more difficult.
"When I go up for a shot and come down on my ankles ..., '' Simmons said, his voice trailing off. "Sometimes, it hurts more Sometimes, it hurts less.''
In other words, Simmons is playing with continuous pain. It's obvious the injured ankles have affected his performance: To wit:
- In the last seven games - or since he hurt his ankle against Phoenix, Simmons has shot 34 percent from the field. In the 12 games prior to the Phoenix one, Simmons shot 49 percent.
- In the last seven games, Simmons shot 38 percent from 3-point range. In the 12 games prior to the Phoenix one, he shot 43 percent.
- In the last seven games, Simmons averaged 6.4 points. In the 12 games prior to the Phoenix one, Simmons averaged 16.5 points.
Simmons said the ailing ankles have prevented him from playing in long stretches. "That's why I'm in and out of a game: to rest them,'' Simmons said. In fact, Simmons hasn't played more than 29 minutes in the last five games. In two of those games, he played only 18 minutes against Miami and a mere 9 minutes against Memphis.
With the Bucks in a heated playoff battle, the Bucks certainly could use a healthy Simmons. And he certainly wants to contribute. But how much of a help he'll be to the Bucks now remains the question. As Simmons says, "The pain isn't going to disappear.''
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