Basketball
The Russian guy is turning into a real NBA star. Egor does incredible things at 19 years old!
The Brooklyn newcomer became the main hero of the end of the game with Orlando.
This season, Brooklyn defender Yegor Demin is constantly creating reasons to talk about himself. The young Russian basketball player has already rewritten several club records, but his performance in the last match with the Orlando Magic requires a separate story.
Demin did everything for Brooklyn’s victory
At the start of the season, Brooklyn lost to everyone: one of the weakest teams in the Eastern Conference lost 11 times in the first 12 matches. It already seemed to many that the team would waste the regular season in hopes of improving its chances of being selected high in the future draft. But suddenly the Nets were transformed and turned from whipping boys into one of the most unyielding teams in the league. In the next 22 matches, they managed to win 10 victories – a great result considering Brooklyn’s capabilities. A 19-year-old newcomer from Russia also played an important role in the team’s success.
For Demin, the home game with Orlando did not go well. By the middle of the fourth quarter, he had zero points scored. Brooklyn head coach Jordi Fernandez put Egor on the bench and released him again seven minutes before the end of the final quarter with a 14-point deficit. The hosts had little chance of a successful ending, but then Demin had his say, turning on the turbo mode three minutes before the siren.
First, he was fouled while making a three-point shot. A little later, he again ventured into a long-range attempt and was accurate, reducing the gap to three points. Five seconds before the end of the quarter, “Brooklyn” was still losing the same three points, and here again Demin took full responsibility upon himself, deciding on a very difficult shot from behind the arc with resistance. The ball, following an incredible trajectory, still hit the ring, having previously hit the backboard. All the fans in the arena immediately jumped up from their seats to give Demin an ovation, and Yegor’s partners began to hug their savior.
The skill of the Nets’ No. 8 also came to the fore in overtime. In the extra five minutes, only the Russian scored points for the hosts. Demin made three more three-pointers, thus setting another club record. Before this, in the entire history of Brooklyn, no one had hit from distance so often in overtime. Six seconds before the siren, Demin again put the whole audience on their ears, bringing his team ahead by +2. It seemed that Brooklyn had victory in its pocket, but Orlando leader Paolo Banchero closed the game in favor of his team with a long-range throw before the siren – 104:103.
It was painful to look at Yegor in the first moments after Banchero’s hit. The Russian was ready to cry – his disappointment was so great. In the end, Demin played at the level of a real NBA star, but even his extreme efforts were not enough to win. In addition to 18 points, he scored 5 rebounds and 5 assists. It is worth adding that for 24 matches in a row, the Russian defender has not left the court without at least one converted three-pointer. In total, Demin has already made 72 “threes” – the second figure among all newcomers of the season!
Experts and fans praise Egor
At the end of the meeting, Demin still looked upset over the missed victory. Speaking to reporters, he shared his emotions from his accurate hits at the decisive moment of the game.
— It was amazing when all the fans jumped out of their seats! Their support helped us a lot. Back in school, I would stay alone in the gym and shoot hoops, dreaming of moments like today. I was replaying in my head the picture of me getting the ball in the last seconds and putting the team ahead with my shot. It’s very nice that this is now happening in reality, but it’s a pity that in the end my shot didn’t become a winner,” Demin said after the game.
On average, Egor is scoring 10.2 points per game this season, but more importantly, he is gradually becoming a true leader of the young team. He is trusted with shots in the decisive period of the match, and the head coach declares that he is proud of Demin’s game. On social network X, the Russian’s performance in the match with Orlando also did not go unnoticed.
— Demin had 10 points in overtime and the team’s last 13 points in the match. He played simply incredible,” this post appeared on the official NBA account with 45 million subscribers.
“If you think about it, this is an incredible statistic.” Amazing confidence from such a young player. No panic, no attempts to hide from the ball – just a desire to take responsibility. And this doesn’t seem like an accident; time after time he found himself in the most difficult situations.
— Demin has the ability to help out at the right moments. This is only true for players with a star mentality. Today we saw that this guy is capable of completing difficult endings.
Where are all those losers who whined when Brooklyn drafted him eighth overall? I would like to see the faces of those who did not believe in Demin.
— The last time it was so noisy in the stands was when Kyrie Irving and Kevin Durant played for Brooklyn. Today the show was done by Demin.
The Russian basketball player really had a good match. Egor gave the most striking individual performance at the end since joining the NBA, proving that his nerves are all right. Demin’s talent and potential are recognized not only by ordinary fans, but also by many experts. At the age of 19, he is already doing incredible things, but even this does not seem to be the ceiling for him.
Source: Sportbox
I am a sports journalist who has been writing for a news website since 2015. My work primarily focuses on sports news, but I have also written about other topics such as technology and the arts. I have an extensive background in journalism, having worked as a reporter for a local newspaper before moving to a news website.