Ben Saraf’s current uptick in play hasn’t gone unnoticed. Despatched to Lengthy Island for rhythm and reps after slipping out of the Nets’ rotation, the rookie guard returned wanting sharper, and head coach Jordi Fernández stated the stint clearly elevated him.
“He went and played with Long Island and played like an NBA player,” Fernández stated. “And once we had an opportunity to play him, he played again and played great.”
Saraf has seemed more and more comfy since returning, flashing the tempo, confidence and downhill playmaking Brooklyn hoped to faucet into when the season started. Fernández acknowledged that Saraf’s turnovers have been a speaking level — the 19-year-old has eight turnovers to 11 assists over his final three appearances getting into Thursday — however he pressured the accountability isn’t his alone.
“I tell the guys turnovers are going to happen, and that’s fine,” Fernández stated. “Fourteen of them are mine. As long as your ratio is good, if you turn it over four times you have to give me eight assists.”
Fernández’s message to Saraf is about freedom layered with self-discipline: play unfastened, learn the ground, perceive coverages and spacing, and continue to grow. What he values most from Saraf and the opposite younger gamers is their response.
“They care, and they want to do better,” Fernández stated. “That’s what I respect.”
NEXT STEPS
Egor Dëmin’s level guard training within the NBA has include anticipated rising pains, however Fernández believes the rookie’s doing simply tremendous at this stage. By way of his first 19 appearances, Dëmin is averaging 3.6 assists to 1.7 turnovers, a sturdy two-to-one ratio that Fernández sees as each a basis and a problem.
“I think he’s doing a great job,” Fernández stated. “Two to one is very good. The next step is can he get to three to one. And I think he can because he’s one of the best at finding the 3-point line in the NBA.”
For Fernández, the subsequent section of Dëmin’s improvement is about deepening his reads. The rookie has excelled at finding shooters, particularly on drive-and-kick actions, however the workers needs him to develop that consciousness when he will get into the paint. Which means recognizing drop protection, manipulating two-on-ones and delivering lobs or pocket passes to rollers with extra consistency.
“Right now, he’s done a great job finding the 3,” Fernández stated. “Now the next step is reading those next actions, all the cuts, the rolls, the two-on-ones.”
He pointed to Dëmin’s back-to-back left-corner assists to Noah Clowney on Wednesday as examples of straightforward however exact performs that carry the offense. It’s that mix of aggression and accuracy he needs to see turn into routine.
“I’ll keep being hard on him because I have high expectations, and I know he can do it,” Fernández stated.
MANN RETURNS
Terance Mann returned to the beginning lineup Thursday in opposition to the Utah Jazz after lacking the previous two video games due to proper rib soreness, giving the Nets a wanted playmaking presence on an evening after they have been with out Michael Porter Jr. (decrease again damage administration) and Drake Powell (left knee damage administration). The veteran ahead has averaged 6.6 factors, 3.8 rebounds and 4.0 assists over his final 5 appearances.
Mann’s absence earlier within the week opened the door for expanded minutes for Tyrese Martin and rookies Powell, Saraf and Danny Wolf. Mann averaged 11.9 factors on 52.9% capturing throughout Brooklyn’s first eight video games, however his manufacturing has dipped to six.4 factors, 3.1 rebounds and three.7 assists on 35.8% capturing in his final 11 appearances.
