Nets Overwhelmed by Hapoel Jerusalem in Preseason Opener

The Nets experienced a tough 123-88 loss to Hapoel Jerusalem in their preseason opener, a game that, honestly, didn’t reveal too much about either team.

Aside from a few broad takeaways, it’s hard to draw meaningful conclusions from this one. The Nets, while showing some tenacity in defense, often seemed overly physical—perhaps a bit too much for a game against a team they clearly outmatched. Their performance appeared somewhat haphazard and rough, especially against opponents struggling to keep up.

Coach Jordi Fernandez rolled out a starting lineup featuring Ben Saraf, Cam Thomas, Terrance Mann, Michael Porter Jr., and Nick Claxton. The point guard slot still looks a little fluid, but it’s probably close to what the Nets hope is their strongest lineup.

This summer, the Nets drafted a promising three-point guard and made some trades for additional talent, including Kobe Bufkin from this year’s first round. Yet, it seemed like Egoldemin turned more heads during offseason practices than expected. He made a brief appearance against Hapoel, which was interesting.

Saraf, who began his career in Israel, ended up with nine points and six assists in the game. His plus-minus was notably high at plus 25. Of course, there was some scuffling—he accumulated five fouls quickly, which could hint at defensive struggles.

Next week, the Nets will face tougher NBA competition when they play the Suns in China. It should be a more telling match up considering the caliber of players involved.

It was notable that he and Atlanta’s Bufkin were expected to share ball-handling duties; Bufkin scored eight points with a plus 12 rating, indicating they might be considering him for that role instead of just a shooting guard.

Mann led the scoring with 15 points on just seven shots, while Porter and Noah Crowney contributed 13 points each. Notably absent were Demin, rookie Drake Powell, and veteran Heywood Highsmith.

Powell, currently in the process of coming back from a knee issue, is anticipated to make his debut in one of the two games against the Chinese teams. Demin is still on the mend from a plantar fascia tear and hasn’t received full clearance for contact practices yet. It’s been a bit concerning, but the team remains optimistic about his return timeline.

Fernandez mentioned he expects all healthy players to participate in the upcoming games; they had 17 players on the roster for Saturday’s match. Fanbozen has yet to see action, though that decision appears to rest with the coaching staff.

Lastly, in an interesting twist, the Nets will face Steve Nash next week, who is now serving as a consultant for the Suns. Just a reminder, Nash was Brooklyn’s head coach from 2020 to 2022 before being let go.