Nets coach Jordi Hernandez mum about Ben Simmons’ load management

SALT LAKE CITY — The Nets were without Cam Johnson, D’Angelo Russell and Cam Thomas for Sunday’s game at Utah.

And Ben Simmons is all but certain to miss one of the next two as well.

Jordi Fernandez confirmed Simmons still hasn’t been cleared to play both ends of back-to-backs yet. With Brooklyn playing at the Trail Blazers on Tuesday and at the Clippers on Wednesday, the Nets coach was coy about whether they’d already determined if Simmons would sit in Portland or in Los Angeles.

“It’s my secret,” Fernandez said cheekily before the Nets lost to the Jazz in crushing fashion, 112-111 in overtime on Sunday. “We probably have. We probably haven’t.”

It’s uncertain if the Nets would play Simmons on Tuesday to give Russell an extra day to recover in hopes Russell could suit up against the Clippers.

Russell missed his fourth consecutive game Sunday with a right shin contusion. Johnson sat out a fifth straight with a right ankle sprain suffered in the waning seconds of their Jan. 2 victory in Milwaukee.

“Yeah, they’ve been doing their work and they’re day-to-day,” Fernandez said. “But we’re happy with what we’re seeing and how they’re working. Obviously they’re with the group. So is Trendon [Watford]. And it’s just good to have them around and have some sweat equity and see them work.”

Watford is with the Nets on this six-game trip, although Fernandez has said it’s unlikely that the forward plays before they return to Brooklyn.

Two-way player Tosan Evbuomwan extended his career high-tying streak of games in double figures to three.

He had a career-high 15 points after three quarters before finishing with 22.

The Princeton product made two clutch, go-ahead free throws with 6.1 seconds left in overtime before the Nets fell to the Jazz.

Fernandez has been impressed with the young forward’s play since joining the Nets recently, and said more minutes would be in the offing.

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