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Nets rookie Ben Saraf impresses while starting at point guard in preseason opener
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- Nets rookie Ben Saraf impresses while starting at point guard in preseason opener
The post Nets rookie Ben Saraf impresses while starting at point guard in preseason opener appeared first on ClutchPoints .
Brooklyn Nets rookie Ben Saraf has drawn a considerable amount of hype at training camp. With Egor Demin sidelined by a foot injury , the Israeli floor general is battling with fellow rookie Nolan Traore for Brooklyn's starting point guard spot.
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Saraf appears to be the favorite in the race, earning the starting point guard nod during Saturday's preseason opener. He posted nine points on 4-of-6 shooting with six assists and one turnover while finishing a team-best +25 during a 123-88 win over Hapoel Jerusalem
"Ben plays like a veteran," said head coach Jordi Fernandez. "He was good with the ball, taking care of the ball, which, at times in camp, was something that he hadn't been as good at. But six [assists] to one [turnover], nine points, plus-25. For whatever it's worth, he's the best plus minus [on the team]. He had five fouls. That's the thing he has to clean up a little more, but I was very, very happy. Even when he had those fouls early in the game, his mind was in the game, and he kept playing, and he was not really affected by it. So it tells you who he is, how mature he is at his age, and he's just gonna keep getting better."
With three years of professional basketball under his belt, Saraf's poise as a lead ball-handler has garnered praise at Nets camp.
Ben Saraf receives starting point guard nod during Nets' preseason opener
Wendell Cruz-Imagn Images
While Saturday's competition was far from NBA level, the 19-year-old gave fans a taste of his style of play. He used his crafty handle to get downhill, routinely creating scoring opportunities for himself and his teammates.
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"I think I'm always trying to be aggressive to the rim. It opens up the lane to me, and if it's not for me, it does for my teammates and others. So I think, as a team, it's always good to be aggressive to the rim," Saraf said. "I think my shooting [needs to improve], of course. Defense. We still need to work on the details of the technique to get better at it. And be more responsible with the ball, not a lot of turnovers. I think those are the three main things [that need to get better]."
Traore also spent significant time handling the ball on Saturday. Like Saraf, the French prospect played 18 minutes. He finished with seven points on 2-of-6 shooting from the field and 1-of-3 from three with two assists and one turnover.
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"I think Nolan's speed is his superpower," Fernandez said. "How fast he is, and he can touch the paint. He's gotta keep shooting the ball and shooting it with confidence. And then defensively, do what we're about, pick up 94 feet and be aggressive. We need a lot of ball pressure. He's done a great job. I'm happy with his growth so far, his work ethic. And now we're gonna want to see him get stronger and sustain his speed for longer periods of time."
Saraf and Traore will handle Brooklyn's point guard responsibilities until Demin returns. The Nets' No. 8 pick has yet to participate in contact portions of practice. However, Fernandez said Demin is "progressing as expected" and the team is "not really concerned."
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Danny Wolf also made his Nets debut on Saturday. The rookie big man posted five points, five rebounds and five assists on 2-of-4 shooting in 15 minutes.
"I think they're mature beyond their years. All these [rookie] guys," said Michael Porter Jr. , who posted 13 points, five rebounds and four assists on 5-of-9 shooting in his Nets debut. "All of them played with poise and played confidently. Ben's been a pro for a while. I don't know where Nolan played before this, but they all handled the pressure amazingly. They all played really good, got downhill, found their teammates. So I was really happy with how they performed."
Related: Will Egor Demin be ready for Nets' regular-season opener amid foot injury?
