Brooklyn Nets Assign Ben Saraf to G League; Deni Avdija Shines for Portland
Brooklyn Nets assigned Ben Saraf to the G League affiliate Long Island Nets following a tough start. Meanwhile, Deni Avdija led Portland to victory with 26 points.
The Brooklyn Nets announced that Ben Saraf has been assigned to their G League affiliate, the Long Island Nets. This is not the first time Saraf has made this transition, having experienced it several times last season.
The move follows a tough start to the season for Brooklyn, which lost its first three games. In the recent 136-109 defeat to the Indiana Pacers, Saraf logged his first minutes of the season, playing four minutes, scoring two points, and grabbing one rebound.
Nets head coach Jordi Fernandez addressed Saraf's situation: "This is the reality in the NBA, and sometimes it is hard. I like to encourage the players because they are here for a reason. We know how good they are and we believe in them. Ultimately, I cannot play everyone, and my job is to decide who plays and who doesn't."
The coach added: "We always want them to play, and right now that happens in practice and so on. The main message is simply to be ready when their opportunity comes. I think they are doing a good job handling the routine, which I know is not easy."
Meanwhile, Israel's other representative in the league, Deni Avdija, delivered a stellar performance to lead the Portland Trail Blazers to a 120-128 victory over the Sacramento Kings following an impressive second-half comeback. The Israeli forward finished the game with 26 points, 6 rebounds, and 6 assists.
