In a game that saw Anfernee Simons set a new Boston Celtics road scoring record for a player coming off the bench, nobody was going to ask the Florida native to go back to the bench any longer than he needed to catch his breath. But the 39-point, 4 rebounds, 4 assists, and 1 steal he logged in the Celtics’ 119-114 win vs. the Miami Heat Friday (Jan. 15) stands in contrast to many other games this season. In those tilts, Simons often did not know whether his number might be called for extended floor time – or if he would be spending most of the contest riding the pine.

And this despite having been a starter on his last team, the Portland Trail Blazers, for several seasons now after the departure of Damian Lillard from that franchise. The former Blazers guard opened up what adjusting to variable playing time with Boston has been like this season after the Celtics’ road win vs. Miami. “It was definitely (an) adjustment,” he explained via CLNS Media.

“Usually you know exactly when you’re coming in the game, coming out the game, but sometimes here it’s like (Boston head coach Joe Mazzulla is) feeling out the game and he’s feeling out what the game needs,” said Simons.

“And so you’ve got to be ready at any moment for your number to be called, no matter if it’s in the first quarter, second quarter, it might be not to the fourth quarter,” added the Celtics guard.

“That just keeps you always on your toes and always locked into the game and being ready when your number’s called, which has been helpful.”

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This article originally appeared on Celtics Wire: Adjusting to the Celtics, Anfernee Simons is finding his role – and it shows