Long Island Nets Talent Produces in Brooklyn's Loss to Warriors

The Brooklyn Nets suffered a 109-106 loss to the Golden State Warriors on Wednesday. They had a deep injury report that left multiple players with lofty G League experience this season to help contribute.

Surprisingly, the Long Island Nets' cohort nearly secured a win over the Warriors. They won the first three quarters before being outscored 32-20 in the fourth quarter. Brooklyn claimed a 25-23 lead late in the first and didn't relinquish that lead until midway through the fourth.

The front was spearheaded by a quartet of Ben Saraf, Drake Powell, Malachi Smith and Chaney Johnson. All four scored in double figures, combining for 47 points.

Powell and Saraf started the game and led the Nets in minutes with 34 and 32 minutes, respectively. They combined for 24 points, six rebounds, four steals and seven assists –– all of which came from Saraf. The rookie tandem scored efficiently, going 9-for-19 from the field and 4-for-10 from three-point range.

Both spent time in Long Island, but Saraf's experience was more extensive, with 21 games played. He averaged 14.4 points, 4.5 assists, 3.6 rebounds and 1.3 steals per game on 41.8% field goal shooting and 37% shooting from deep. Powell only played five games in the G League, averaging 11.8 points, five rebounds and two stocks per game on 44.2% field goal shooting and 36.4% shooting from three.

Moving to the two-way and 10-day contributors, Johnson and Smith have a combined 63 games played for Long Island this season. Johnson averaged 14.7 points, 6.3 rebounds and 2.5 stocks per game on 56.3% shooting from the field and 34.4% from deep. Smith averaged 14.5 points, 5.7 assists, 4.6 rebounds and 1.5 steals per game on 52.4% field goal shooting and 42.6% three-point shooting.

Against the Warriors, both played just under 20 minutes, but combined for 23 points, four rebounds and four assists on 10-for-16 shooting from the field and 3-for-7 from three.

The G League has helped develop so much talent for Brooklyn this season. For the rookies, especially, they've all gone through their fair share of slumps. All five rookies, except for Demin, saw time in Long Island when they struggled on the big stage. Not only did those reps help them come back stronger, but they also improved their connection with other players on that level.

These are players who may not be consistent contributors when the Nets come out on the other side of this rebuild. Despite that, injuries and other unforeseen problems arise that make a need for depth. Having G League players ready to contribute at a serviceable level is a luxury that Brooklyn has earned from all the investments it's put into its affiliate.