The Nets appear on track to get Dorian Finney-Smith and Ben Simmons back for their first meeting of the season with the Knicks, with Finney-Smith (left ankle sprain) listed as probable and Simmons (left calf tightness) removed from the injury report altogether ahead of Friday’s game, but center Nic Claxton was added and listed as questionable with lower back tightness.
Claxton, whose preseason hamstring injury forced him to open the regular season on a minutes restriction before returning to the Nets’ starting lineup the past five games, logged 24 minutes during their 139-114 loss to the Celtics on Wednesday.
The defensive anchor, who inked a four-year deal this offseason to return to Brooklyn and remain a centerpiece of their rebuild and beyond, will likely be tasked with containing center Karl-Anthony Towns — who dropped 46 points and carried the Knicks as they fell to the Bulls on Wednesday — if he can play.
If not, the Nets will be forced to adjust while figuring out how to defend a lineup that also includes Jalen Brunson and former Brooklyn star Mikal Bridges.
Even if Claxton misses his second game of the season, the Nets will, at the least, get Simmons back.
The Post’s Brian Lewis reported Thursday that Simmons’ MRI exam came back clean despite the calf issue prompting his first injury-related absence of the season — with his other three missed games related to rest during back-to-backs.
Head coach Jordi Fernandez bumped Simmons to the bench during his most recent two games, Nov. 8 and 11, and he responded with 14 points, 20 assists, 11 rebounds and three steals across those games.
Finney-Smith has missed the past two games due to the ankle sprain, with Fernandez wanting to operate with caution.
He ended up not being ready by Wednesday, and that allowed for the emergence of former top-10 pick Ziaire Williams, who made his second consecutive start and poured in 23 points.
That could change two days later.
And the Nets will need Finney-Smith’s presence defensively if Claxton’s new injury prevents him from being available.
“I just want him to be 200 percent and ready to go,” Fernandez said Wednesday of Finney-Smith. “That’s the reason why he’s not playing. I want him whenever he’s ready to give me everything. … And whenever he’s back, he’s going to give everything he has. No need to rush.”
The Nets revealed their City Edition uniforms for the 2024-25 season — their second year of a partnership with Brooklyn-based artist KAWS, Brian Donnelly’s professional name — and announced that they will wear them during 12 games beginning Dec. 1 against the Magic and continuing three days later against the Pacers.
Perhaps the most notable changes from last year’s version: “Nets” has been replaced by “Brooklyn” across the front of the jersey, with those letters accented by red, light blue and dark blue colors, and the design of the jersey features different shades of gray.
Brooklyn will also wear the City Edition jerseys Dec. 21 and 27, Jan. 8, Feb. 10, 12, 26 and 28 and April 3, 6 and 11.