Rising Stars: Israel’s Impact on NBA Matchup
On Monday, three Israeli players will face off in an NBA game for the first time when the Brooklyn Nets take on the Portland Trail Blazers. Deni Avdija, a talented player from the Blazers, will compete against the Nets’ rookies, Ben Saraf and Danny Wolf.
Nets coach Jordi Fernandez expressed enthusiasm about this matchup. “Oh, it’s special,” he remarked. “It’s a big deal to have players from countries beyond just America and Europe. This day is one for everyone to enjoy. I think they’re already having a lot of fun. Deni, well, I guess he’s excited too; I know Ben and Danny are.”
Fernandez noted how unique this game is and how rare it is to have a matchup like this, saying, “It’s one of only two times we’ll see them play against each other, and I really want to watch how they all grow. Deni has improved a lot in just a year, and our two younger guys are getting better as well. It’s fascinating to think about how their games will evolve over the years.”
In related news, Danny Wolf started his third consecutive game, filling in for injured player Michael Porter Jr., who is currently sidelined with a sprained right ankle. Before facing Portland, Wolf had been averaging about 12.2 points and 6.2 rebounds over his last ten games.
Porter is making progress and has started on-court work. “I mean, I’m not a doctor or anything,” Fernandez stated when asked about the sprain. “But he did some shooting during our last game, and today’s session will be the first workout back. We’ll see how he feels after that.” Porter has missed four out of the last five games.
The Nets are on the home stretch of the regular season, with just 14 games left, and they’re set to host the defending champion Thunder on Wednesday. They continue to deal with injuries; Dayron Sharpe and rookie Egor Demin have both been ruled out for the remainder of the season due to their respective injuries. Additionally, Terrence Mann missed the game on Monday with a sore Achilles tendon, while Noah Clowney sat out for rest purposes.
In Portland, key players Damian Lillard and Shaedon Sharpe were also inactive, and rookie Hansen Yang was sent down to the G League.
