Sixers’ Ben Simmons out at least two weeks with nerve impingement in back

Ben Simmons has suffered nerve impingement in his lower back and will be re-evaluated in approximately two weeks, according to the 76ers.

Sixers coach Brett Brown said that Simmons suffered lower back tightness on Feb. 19 at practice, the first workout after the All-Star break. Simmons missed the next day’s game, a 112-104 overtime win over the visiting Brooklyn Nets. He returned to the lineup during Saturday’s 119-98 loss in Milwaukee but left with a back injury and only played 4 minutes, 44 seconds. He didn’t play in Monday’s 129-112 win over visiting Atlanta.

Since Saturday, Simmons underwent imaging and evaluating, which confirmed the nerve impingement. The Sixers point guard and two-time All-Star, who is averaging 16.7 points and 8.2 assists this season, will undergo daily treatment.

This season, Simmons has missed four games due to injury. The Sixers are 3-1 in those games. In addition to the two recent games he has missed, Simmons was sidelined for a 100-97 loss at Denver on Nov. 8 and a 114-106 home win over Charlotte on Nov. 10 with a sprained AC joint in his right shoulder.

In Monday’s win, Shake Milton started at point guard. Brown suggested he might mix and match at the position in Simmons’ absence. Shooting guard Josh Richardson also played quite a bit of point guard on Monday.

While there is no telling how long Simmons will be out, the Sixers will play six games in the next two weeks before his approximate re-evaluation will take place.

The Sixers visit Cleveland on Wednesday and return home to face the New York Knicks on Thursday. Then comes a four-game West Coast trip that begins with two games in Los Angeles -- Sunday at the Clippers and Tuesday at the Lakers -- followed by games at Sacramento on March 5 and a visit to Golden State on March 7.

In another injury related matter, center Norvel Pelle, who missed Monday’s game with an upper respiratory illness, is listed as doubtful for Wednesday’s game at Cleveland.