Egor Demin’s return gave the Brooklyn Nets exactly the kind of lift they needed in a lopsided 145-111 win over the New Orleans Pelicans on Wednesday.
After missing the previous six games with a right leg bone bruise, Demin stepped back into the rotation and looked comfortable right away. He poured in 22 points in 23 minutes, knocking down 5 of 8 shots from the field, 4 of 6 from three-point range and 8 of 10 at the line.
“I honestly didn’t try to force anything. All the praise to my teammates who were finding me in those situations where I could be successful for them,” Demin said to the media after Wednesday’s 145-111 win over the New Orleans Pelicans.
He also pointed to the way the game opened up once shots started falling.
“For us, when you see the shot going in, the next one is going in with even more chance, in my opinion. That’s how in basketball it kind of happens for the players, and when the second one goes in, now you might force a little bit,” Demin continued.
“I was super comfortable out there with whatever we’ve been doing on the court with everybody else. None of that would be there without our game plan and my teammates.”
Brooklyn had been waiting for a step forward from Demin in his second NBA season, and his performance against New Orleans came at a useful time. Guards Nolan Traore and Mikel Brown Jr. were both unavailable Wednesday because of their respective ailments, leaving the Nets short-handed in the backcourt.
As the road trip continues, Brooklyn is hoping at least one of Traore or Brown can be available Saturday against the Memphis Grizzlies. If not, Demin’s showing in New Orleans suggested he’s ready to shoulder more of the load.
His shooting hasn’t been as sharp this season as it was last year, but after the way he looked against the Pelicans, the Nets have reason to believe he can start finding that rhythm again now that he’s healthy.
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The Nets backcourt shuffle is getting harder to manage at a time when they can least afford it. Mikel Brown Jr. will miss the upcoming game against the New Orleans Pelicans because of illness, adding another obstacle for a team already trying to steady itself through a rough 2-8 start. Brown has been under a minutes restriction and has yet to start a game this season, so Brooklyn has been navigating his availability carefully while trying to keep some continuity in place.
Egor Demin is expected to give the group a boost by returning after a six-game absence, which at least gives the Nets another option as they try to find some rhythm. The timing matters against a Pelicans team that has dropped three straight, but Brooklyn still has to sort out how much it can lean on its guards and how quickly the rotation can settle. For a team searching for traction, every absence changes the equation a little more. [Read more 🡒]
Nets May Have A Frontcourt Option Worth Watching Closely
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The defensive side may be what gives him the most traction with the Nets. Nelson added two blocks and looked comfortable protecting the paint, which only adds to the momentum he has built with a strong preseason showing. For a Brooklyn team always monitoring its next internal option, he is starting to look like more than just a name in the system. [Read more 🡒]
Nets Suddenly Have An Early Minutes Puzzle Fans Should Watch
Egor Demins return gave Brooklyn a timely lift after a stretch of injury absences left the backcourt and wing rotation thinner than usual. The Nets had been without Nolan Traore and Mikel Brown Jr., and Demins presence helped steady things in a recent win while the team continued sorting through how to cover minutes with bodies coming and going.
The bigger question now is how Brooklyn handles the next wave of availability, especially with the roster still being managed carefully on the fly. Jordi Fernandez had to navigate the late news on Traore, and the way the Nets balance those unexpected absences against Demins re-entry into the mix could shape the early rotation picture in a hurry. [Read more 🡒]