Summer League Highlights: Nets’ Close Win Over Magic
Las Vegas – Egor Denin and Danny Wolf really stood out in the summer league so far. It’s interesting to see that their contributions coincided with the Nets’ first win—a narrow 94-90 victory against Orlando.
The game took off when Wolf helped the team establish a 23-point lead.
“I’m just really happy for him. Those were crucial shots,” shared Steve Hetzel, the Nets’ assistant coach for the Summer League. “He must have felt some relief. This is his chance to show what he can do.”
Hetzel added, “We wanted everyone to play a complete game, and while we did well for three quarters, that fourth quarter—allowing 39 points—was just a bit chaotic.”
Chaotic, indeed.
With Wolf contributing 18 points, 6 rebounds, and 4 assists, the Nets managed that hefty 23-point advantage. But they slipped a bit, still ahead 77-62 before letting Orlando go on a 16-2 run, narrowing it to 79-78 with 2:37 remaining.
This was the moment when Demin stepped up with 14 points and 5 rebounds, overcoming some initial mishaps and six turnovers to sink three 3-pointers during a strong stretch.
The Russians executed a timely three from the corner, pushing the score to 82-78 with just over two minutes left.
Then he hit a transition shot and followed it with a crucial basket, extending the lead to 91-83 in the final moments. The Nets were able to maintain control from there.
“It’s definitely exciting,” said Demin. “It felt cool. After a few miscues, I was a bit frustrated. But getting into the groove with some catch-and-shoot opportunities really helped.”
Demin indeed made his mark scoring 14 points, looking particularly effective during the game.
“I’d say turnovers and some past errors really set the stage for that comeback. Now the question is, how do we regain our momentum? Could it have been my fault?”
Demin performed well overall in the summer league, though he’s primarily been on the perimeter with limited penetration. Still, he did deliver a standout dunk early in the first quarter.
Meanwhile, the Nets experienced their share of struggles.
Wolf has been picking up steam too, averaging only 6 points with a shooting percentage of 27.3% recently.
However, Wolf, who initially started at center while Drew Timm, Ben Saraf, and Nolan Traoré sat out, appeared to benefit from a more favorable rhythm.
Taking a moment to gather himself, Wolf said, “I’ve definitely sped up a bit. Going into this game, I had a more relaxed mindset, and I think that helped me elevate my game a little.”
