The Brooklyn Nets (2-1) came into the Las Vegas Summer League with a successful stint in the California Classic in which players like Egor Demin and Chaney Johnson showed what they could do. Brooklyn still has at least two games to play over the course of the rest of the summer league, but after three games, there seems to be plenty of film to review.
For starters, the Nets have came away from games against Darius Acuff and the Sacramento Kings and Pacome Dadiet and the New York Knicks with pretty convincing victories. However, Brooklyn also faced Kingston Flemings and the Atlanta Hawks and lost in a close game after the Hawks put forth better execution and effort over the course of the fourth quarter.
As of this writing, the Nets have a matchup against Bruce Thornton and the Houston Rockets (2-1) on tap for Friday and Brooklyn has the chance to remain in the top-4 for the summer league playoffs. While Friday will show what the Nets are made of against one of the teams that will be in their way towards advancing in Las Vegas, here are three takeaways for Brooklyn after three games:
Egor Demin Could Be Set For A Big Sophomore Year
Demin was coming off a solid rookie season that was prematurely ended by plantar fasciitis in his left foot so there was some concern about how he would play in the summer league. However, not only does Demin look every better than he did last season, he is also averaging 21.5 points, 3.5 rebounds, 5.0 assists, and 2.5 steals per game while shooting 44.4% from the field and 28.6% from behind the three-point line.
Mikel Brown Jr. Looks Like The Real Deal
Brown played in just one of just three games during the California Classic as the team was trying to take it easy with him given that he is still recovering from the back injury that bothered him during his time with the Louisville Cardinals. Brown has been able to play in two of the three games that Brooklyn has played in Las Vegas and he has excelled, especially in his matchup against Acuff on Wednesday.
Chaney Johnson Will Be Hard To Keep Out Of The Rotation
Johnson came into summer league play already under contract for one of the three Two-Way spots on the roster so this summer would be about preparing for playing in Long Island, Brooklyn’s G League afiliate. With Johnson averaging 14.7 points, 9.3 rebounds, and 3.3 steals per game while shooting 66.7% from the field and 42.9% from three-point land, he is making a really strong case for NBA minutes sooner rather than later.
This article originally appeared on Nets Wire: Nets takeaways from summer league play heading into Friday’s matchup
Reporting by Sharif Phillips-Keaton, Nets Wire / Nets Wire
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
By Sharif Phillips-Keaton, Nets Wire | USA TODAY Network
