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Nets’ Egor Demin earns high praise after impressive NBA debut
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- Nets’ Egor Demin earns high praise after impressive NBA debut
The post Nets' Egor Demin earns high praise after impressive NBA debut appeared first on ClutchPoints .
Egor Demin 's NBA debut was the most anticipated for a Brooklyn Nets rookie since the team's move from New Jersey. After missing most of the preseason with a plantar fascia tear, the No. 8 pick finally took the floor on Friday, and Nets fans should be encouraged by what they saw.
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Demin played 19 minutes during a 119-114 loss to the Toronto Raptors , posting 14 points on 3-of-5 shooting from the field, 2-of-3 from three and 6-of-7 from the free throw line. He added five rebounds, one assist, one block and two turnovers.
During the Nets' first game with all three of their rookie point guards available, the Russian floor general looked the best by far.
"He was excellent," said head coach Jordi Fernandez. "There's going to be things he's going to have to keep working on. We've got to keep building him up physically to be able to sustain more minutes, and we're gonna be careful with that. But I'm very happy with his presence, how composed he was, how he talked to his teammates, all those things. He made it look easy. He shot the ball every time he was open or halfway open. He got to the free-throw line and rebounded. He got five rebounds, made nice plays at the rim. It was good."
Brooklyn's rookie point guards faced a difficult test against Toronto's physical defense.
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Nets lottery pick Egor Demin impresses during NBA debut
Wendell Cruz-Imagn Images
Led by Scottie Barnes and RJ Barrett , the Raptors picked up the Nets' ball-handlers full court for much of the game. The result was an ugly start for Brooklyn, with Ben Saraf and Nolan Traore looking overwhelmed.
Saraf posted three points on 1-of-4 shooting with five assists and four turnovers in 22 minutes. Traore played just six minutes, turning the ball over three times and failing to score. However, Demin looked comfortable initiating Brooklyn's offense, making an immediate impact and finishing a plus-1.
"This 100 percent [adds confidence for me]. I've been told a lot about the Raptors as probably one of the most physical and longest teams. Just from the standpoint of pressure almost the whole game, and how pesky they are," Demin told YES Network . "I don't want to say I was scared, but I was super aware of what to expect. But I also couldn't understand what to expect; it's my first game in the NBA. So I'm just happy we went through this and had this experience. I think it was a huge lesson for all of us, and I can't wait for the start of the season."
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Demin's shooting stroke , a primary concern surrounding his game entering the draft, has looked improved this offseason. The 19-year-old shot 43.5 percent on 7.7 threes per game at Summer League after converting just 27.3 percent at BYU. He looked confident again on Friday, knocking down a pull-up after a defender went under on a screen and hitting a catch-and-shoot corner three.
The Nets rookie also made an impact defensively, using his 6-foot-10 wingspan to force several turnovers and missed shots on rotations.
Demin must continue to add strength and tighten his handle as he moves forward in his rookie campaign. While he handled Toronto's ball pressure, he rarely got downhill off the dribble. The point guard attempted just two shots inside the arc, one of which came off a backdoor cut. Just four of his 27 field goal attempts at Summer League were twos.
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Demin's inability to get downhill has limited his playmaking. He's posted just five assists through his three Summer League games and Friday's loss. Still, his composure and immediate impact during his first game against NBA competition are resounding positives.
Demin and Brooklyn's rookies' next appearance will come during Wednesday's regular-season opener against the Charlotte Hornets .
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