OCEANSIDE >> One team celebrated the return of its star, who has been missing from action for nearly a year. The other team played on as its superstar again sat on the bench in street clothes.

Ben Simmons, the Brooklyn Nets’ oft-injured All Star, played his first game in eight months Tuesday night against the Clippers at the new Frontwave Arena. His lack of play was evident as he scored just two points in 15 first-half minutes.

“He’s worked really hard like everybody else, and he doesn’t want to be treated differently,” Nets first-year coach Jordie Fernandez said. “He’s built like a truck, he can guard multiple positions, he can rebound. I want to see that purpose, communication, physicality.”

Simmons has appeared in just 57 games for the Nets since being acquired two seasons ago. The swingman has averaged just 6.7 points for the Nets, well below the 15.9 points he averaged in four seasons with the Philadelphia 76ers.

Meanwhile, Kawhi Leonard, the Clippers’ own fragile star, missed his second preseason game — a 115-106 win — as he works to strengthen his troublesome right knee that has sidelined him since last season’s playoffs.

Like Simmons, Leonard’s return to the court is a process that could take time. More time than initially thought.

The team has been hoping that the two-time MVP would be healthy by the Oct. 23 regular-season opener, but Leonard has yet to participate in practice drills instead spending time in the trainer’s room. The Clippers aren’t taking chances in rushing him back.

“The biggest thing for us is making sure we do right by Kawhi, you know, not letting him hurt himself by trying to get back early. We can’t skip steps,” coach Tyronn Lue said. “You know, our medical staff is one of the best in the league, and so we gotta make sure that we check every box, and that we’re doing everything the right way before we get him on the floor.

“So, if that’s him being pissed off with us because we protected him, then so be it.”

Luckily, the Clippers didn’t need Leonard or much from their other starters against the Nets. The Clippers, led by Terance Mann’s eight points and two rebounds, jumped out to a 12-0 lead and led 35-18 after one quarter.

Norman Powell made his second start of the preseason, a position the guard is hoping to cement as the season progresses. He scored six points on 2-of-4 shooting in eight first-quarter minutes.

“(His defense) has gotten a lot better,” Lue said. “You saw that two years ago in the playoffs against Phoenix, when he took the challenge one on one. So, just challenging him every night to be good defensively because we know he can do it.”

Lue again tried out different combinations, fashioning one lineup of James Harden, Norman Powell, Amir Coffey, Nicolas Batum and Ivica Zubac with the Clippers ahead by 10 in the second quarter.

The Nets, however, weren’t fazed and managed to take advantage of the Clippers’ turnovers to take their first lead against the veterans, 41-40.