Brooklyn Nets pick up first win of summer, led by picks Egor Demin, Danny Wolf

What looked to be a blowout turned into a close one down the stretch. Regardless, the Nets are walking away with their first win of the summer tonight.

The Brooklyn Nets haven’t had the greatest summer so far. Rather than trips to the beach, firecracker popsicles … and efficient Vegas basketball, it’s been one with sweltering heat and humidity, bees in your red solo cup, limited offensive fluidity, and an 0-3 record.

Until tonight, when they and we got a much-needed switch up, as the Nets picked up their first win of the summer season, beating the Orlando Magic by a 94-90 score.

Hints that this game would be different from its predecessors were visible almost from the start. After a handful of rough possessions and traded trips to the free throw line, Egor Dëmin, who’s already been tagged as a guy who struggles to get to the rim, sure as hell got there to give Brooklyn its first lead of the ball game.

While Dëmin’s night was rather forgetful until a series of clutch possessions at the very end you’ll probably watch that video over and over again until October — the lead was something Brooklyn maintained all night.

After getting strong early contributions from 6’9” 25-year-old Tyrese Samuel — eight points during the game’s first 12 minutes — the Nets jetted out to a 35-23 lead. Samuel went on to finish with 10 points, three boards, and two steals. Former Laker Quincy Olivari, who made a habit of feeding him in the first half, chipped in a 16/6/6 game.

Highlights aside, it was Brooklyn’s defense that had them up early, holding a 49-41 advantage at half even after Orlando’s 11-2 run down the stretch of the second. Players looked more in-sync leveraging each other, blitzing and recovering in unison. Not having floor stretcher like Tyler Kolek, the Knicks’ point guard who rolled them on Tuesday, on the floor also paid dividends for Brooklyn. The Magic shot just 38.5% from the field between the first two frames.

In fact, Orlando looked like a Vegas tourist at the table almost all night, trying their luck from deep over and over again despite finding little to no success. By the time they found themselves on a heater, it was too late, as they posted 38/33 splits for the game.

The Nets had an opposite experience — or what the Magic would surely call opposite luck if you ask them.

The second half saw the Nets open up on a 14-2 run that pushed them in front by 20 roughly halfway through the third period and visions of their first win danced in their heads. That lead didn’t budge until the final seconds of the quarter when Jaden Atkins hung for a tough finish nearly at the buzzer to make it a 69-51 lead for Brooklyn entering the fourth.

The Nets appeared start coasting a bit too early. The Magic went on an 19-3 run in the heart of the quarter, making it a 79-78 game with about four to play. Once the Magic started applying pressure, Brooklyn looked certain to fold, turning it over a handful of times and turning in a few rushed possessions. Two of the turnovers were back-to-back faux pas by the Nets No. 8 pick.

That was until Egor Dëmin drew three straight threes to give his team the breathing room it needed to close things out…

The winning moments seemed to take second place to what the clutch moments did to the narrative that the 6’9” BYU point guard can’t shoot. He finished the night with 14 points, five rebounds and shot 4-of-8 (after a 1-of-5 start) from deep. For the three games he played in Vegas, Demin is now 10-of-23 (43.5%) beyond the arc.

He was one of two first round picks who looked good. Danny Wolf, the 7-foot point center taken at No. 27, led Brooklyn with 18 points, six rebounds, four assists on 6-of-12 shooting, including 2-of-4 from deep.

Beyond the first rounders, Tosan Evbuomwan, who’s on a two-way deal, finished with 14 points, four rebounds and a game-high five steals. Quincy Olivari had 16 points, six rebounds and six assists.

At the end, the Nets missed a handful of free throws while the Magic cashed in on a few second chance points to keep things tight in the game’s waning minutes, but Brooklyn eventually got to the finish line and their first win of the tournament.

On the other side, it was Wendell Moore Jr. and Noah Penda leading the way for Orlando, who each added 17 points and pulled down six rebounds. Old friend Alondes Williams contributed 11 points, three rebounds, three assists, and picked away four steals.

Injury Updates

Dëmin subbed out at one point in the second quarter and later returned wearing a shooting sleeve. The NBA TV broadcast noted it and said that he got some “medical attention” but didn’t elaborate any further. He seemed to play the rest of the game without any limitations.

Nolan Traoré and Ben Saraf did not play tonight, but that was expected with the Nets looking to avoid putting their guys in back-to-backs and each playing last night. The same goes for Drew Timme. Tyson Etienne was held out tonight with an illness.

Next Up

Candice Ward-Imagn Images

Brooklyn’s fifth Summer League bout will be against the Philadelphia 76ers scheduled for a 6:00 p.m. ET Friday tipoff. For those of you who spent the February-to-April months making V.J. Edgecombe Nets photoshops, look away.

• Boxscore: Brooklyn Nets 94, Orlando Magic 90 – NBA
• Ben Saraf is a Nets work in progress with one issue standing out from the rest – Brian Lewis – New York Post