Nets’ Egor Demin dominates in first sport again from leg harm

NEW ORLEANS — After six video games on the shelf injured, Brooklyn’s Egor Dëmin got here again together with his finest sport of the younger season.

Dëmin returned from a leg harm with a team-high 22 factors to steer the Nets’ 145-111 laugher in New Orleans.

“It simply talks about how prepared he was to get again and affect the group and the sport,” Jordi Fernández mentioned. “And never simply his passing, his shot-making, but additionally driving into the paint and enjoying with numerous tempo.”

Dëmin had been out with a bone bruise in his proper leg suffered Oct. 27 at Boston.

In his return he shot 5 of 8 general and 4 of 6 from deep.

“Egor performed nice, coming again, enjoying like that. It helped loads,” Mo Wagner mentioned.

“It was good to see Egor shoot the ball nicely. It’s considered one of his higher video games he’s had to date this season,” Michael Porter Jr. mentioned “It was good to see him play nicely for positive.”

Dëmin had been off to a sluggish begin. He had been averaging 7.8 factors on 31 p.c taking pictures and 28.6% from deep.

With Nolan Traore (tight proper calf) and Mikel Brown Jr. (sickness) each out, he needed to begin at level guard, and dealt with ball stress nicely sufficient.

“It was nice to see Egor again,” Day’Ron Sharpe mentioned. “He’s been excited and dealing onerous all summer season for this season. So it’s nice to see him come again from the harm and have the sport he had.”

Dëmin received into the paint sufficient to go a team-high 8 of 10 from the road and end a plus-29.

“I didn’t attempt to power something. All of the reward to my teammates, who have been discovering me in these conditions the place I may very well be profitable for them. And if you see the shot entering into, the following one goes with much more likelihood,” Dëmin mentioned. “I used to be tremendous snug on the market with what we’ve been doing on the court docket with everyone else. So yeah, I’m tremendous grateful. None of that might be there with out our sport plan and my teammates.”

Pelicans coach Jamahl Mosley — who coached Wagner in Orlando earlier than getting fired in Might — received a technical for barking one thing at his ex-player.

“Ah, we simply miss one another, I’d say. Simply miss one another,” Wagner mentioned. “No, actual speak, I don’t suppose it is a battle that’s expressed over the media, I don’t suppose that’s applicable. …They gave me 5 years of being on a group, which I actually cherish, attempting to win a championship collectively. In fact there’s some feelings in that. However nothing adverse from my facet in any respect.”

Ben Saraf, Joshua Jefferson, Tyler Bilodeau and Grant Nelson have been out on G League assignments.

“[Brown’s] not feeling good, and he’s everyday. So, we hope he’s feeling higher as a result of he’s been excellent…We all know he’ll be again quickly,” Fernández mentioned. “Nolan is everyday too. We hope he’s again quickly.”

Bennedict Mathurin (thumb) and Trey Murphy III have been out for the Pelicans.