ce that benefits the Cleveland Clinic Foundation.ddddddddddddThe a

Ben Simmons needed advice.Hurting - both physically and emotionally - the Australian phenom craved some reassurance that the Oct. 4 surgery for a Jones fracture of his fifth metatarsal was something he could overcome. So who better to ask about triumphing over similar injury adversity than an NBA MVP and one of the purest scorers in todays game?First guy I did speak to was KD [Kevin Durant], Simmons told media before the 76ers home opener against Oklahoma City Thunder on Wednesday night. He had something similar [and] he just said, Listen, get advice from everybody and [youll] be good. Its good to reach out to people like that that have gone through it.Durant, then with Oklahoma City Thunder, suffered the injury to his right foot just before the start of the 2014-15 NBA season, but he required three surgeries in six months before he returned to full health.The Sixers hope that wont be the case with Simmons. Since the injury, there has been much speculation that Simmons may miss the entire season, and just last Friday at Sixers practice head coach Brett Brown intimated that Simmons would return in January - that would mark three months since the injury - but later backtracked on his statement.I was just getting excited about how soon he might be able to come back, Brown said. There is so much speculation and dates as a coach you sort of want to hear what you want to hear at a time. I did mention a January hopeful return. That is premature. [...] That is a coach doing a lot more wishing than receiving instruction. So we will play this out. Everything is on track with his rehabilitation.Simmons, too, maintained he has no return schedule yet. Ill come back when Im ready, he said.Theres no timetable to getting healthy. Im just working hard to get back and as soon as they tell me I can play, Ill get out there.Simmons absence from the Sixers lineup clouded an otherwise optimistic beginning to 2016-17 for a franchise that has struggled in recent years. Center Joel Embiid made his debut against the Thunder, and there is hope that a young core consisting of Simmons, Embiid, Nerlens Noel and Jahlil Okafor could blossom into a force in the Eastern Conference.Simmons feels the team can do well this season.I think we can still be good, he said.Obviously those guys, theyre losing a player, but theyre still players themselves. Theyve still got to go out there [and compete]. Weve got a young team, and I think we can do well.A best-case scenario for Simmons is a January return; in the meantime he is looking at the positive side of things, saying he will use his time on the sidelines to absorb how the NBA game is played and how he can adjust his game to the professional level.Its not the best start to my NBA career, but now Im looking at it as a positive, Simmons said.It gives me time to learn about the game; the systems; offence; defence. Its a good time for me to work on my shooting, plays, everything about the game, and work on [learning] the scouting reports.It gives me time to work on my body, flexibility. Theres a lot of things Im looking at as a positive.Given he wont be cleared to resume basketball activities for some time, Simmons is focused on rehab, and being around the team as much as possible. He says hes at the practice facility daily, and its important to him for his teammates to see him putting in the work coming back from the injury.Im still a part of the team. Im in there every day rehabbing; my teammates see me in there putting in the work and theyre doing the same. The only thing I can do is rehab, and thats what Im willing to do.Custom Padres Jersey China . The team also announced Tuesday that the Braves will wear a commemorative patch on the right sleeve during the season. The patch, shaped like home plate, carries the number 715, Aarons autograph and a "40th Anniversary" banner. Padres Jerseys China . Nigeria beat surprise package Ethiopia 2-0 in the second leg of their playoff for a comfortable 4-1 aggregate victory. Victor Moses converted a 20th-minute penalty after an Ethiopian handball, and Victor Obinna made certain of Nigerias place in Brazil with his powerful free kick in the 82nd at UJ Esuene Stadium. http://www.custompadresjersey.com/ . -- Jonathan Drouin gave Halifax the boost it needed to edge host Sherbrooke Phoenix 3-2 in a shootout in Quebec Major Junior Hockey League action. Authentic Custom Padres Jersey . Robredo, ranked No. 16, bounced back from an upset loss to Leonardo Mayer in the second round of the Royal Guard Open in Chile last week to down Carreno Busta in 1 hour, 25 minutes. On a day filled mostly with qualifying matches, fifth-seeded Marcel Granollers of Spain also entered the second with a 7-5, 3-6, 6-2 win over Aljaz Bedene of Slovenia, while Guido Pella of Argentina defeated Guillermo Garcia-Lopez of Spain 7-6 (6), 6-4 to advance. Custom Padres T-shirts . Having already announced that the race will start May 9 with three stages in Northern Ireland and Ireland and finish in Trieste on June 1, the rest of the route was unveiled Monday.OXON HILL, Md. -- Bart Swain of the Cleveland Indians has won the Robert O. Fishel Award for public relations excellence in the major leagues.The honor was presented Monday at the winter meetings.Swain has worked 25 seasons with the Indians, the past 22 as the main media contact for Indians players, managers, coaches and baseball operations.Swain has led the teams efforts for the last three years to raiise money in the fight against cancer with a 50-mile bike race that benefits the Cleveland Clinic Foundation.ddddddddddddThe award was named for the longtime executive with the Indians, St. Louis Browns, the Yankees and the American League. Fishel won the first award in 1981. ' ' '