Simmons will come off the bench for the first time this season, as Nic Claxton has taken over as the starting center after being limited to start the campaign while working his way back from a preseason hamstring injury.

Nic Claxton returned to the Nets’ starting lineup, seemingly for good, on Friday against the Boston Celtics. That meant Ben Simmons, who had started six games at center this season in place of a limited Claxton,