The Brooklyn Nets left the California Classic with a 2-1 record and a clear headliner in Egor Dëmin, whose efficiency and production gave the group a strong foundation before the move to Las Vegas.
Brooklyn opened the three-day event at the Golden 1 Center with a heartbreaking loss to the Sacramento Kings, undone by a Nique Clifford game-winning three. After that, the Nets responded the right way, rolling past the Milwaukee Bucks and then the Golden State Warriors (Blue) in back-to-back blowouts.
Dëmin was the biggest reason Brooklyn’s early showing felt so encouraging. In two California Classic games, he scored 46 points, putting up 23 in each outing, and hit 60% of his shots from the field.
He also added 15 rebounds across those two games. The three-point shot wasn’t falling at the same level - he made four of 15 from beyond the arc - but his aggression kept him efficient anyway.
It’s a tiny sample, but he already looks like he could be edging toward a rotational role for Brooklyn.
The Nets’ win over Milwaukee was a reminder that this roster has more than one path to a result. Brooklyn didn’t have any first-round pick on the floor in that game, yet still beat the Bucks by 20.
Five players finished with more than 10 points: Ben Humrichous, Duke Brennan, Hunter Sallis, Dwight Murray Jr. and Dain Dainja. Humrichous and Sallis each scored 15.
Brooklyn also got a look at Mikel Brown Jr., who sat out the first two games before making his debut in the final contest on Monday. The sixth overall pick scored 10 points on 4-for-11 shooting and handed out four assists. The sample is small, but the bigger stage is coming soon in Las Vegas, where Brown Jr. is expected to draw plenty of attention as he lines up against longtime rival Darius Acuff Jr. and tries to help Brooklyn chase its first summer league championship.
The frontcourt depth was another bright spot. Chaney Johnson and Tyler Bilodeau were especially effective together over their two games.
They didn’t do much scoring in the opener against Sacramento, but they controlled the boards, combining for 16 rebounds while each blocking a shot. Their offense showed up in the finale, when they combined for 37 points and 12 rebounds.
Both players are on two-way deals, which gives Long Island a useful pair to work with. Long Island, meanwhile, lost in the first round of the G League playoffs to the Osceola Magic, the Orlando Magic’s affiliate.
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