For Ben Saraf, his Brooklyn debut must’ve felt like he was playing a home game back in Israel, with all the Israeli flags in the stands and the anthem being played.
But whatever jitters he felt, he shook them off and helped the Nets to a 123-88 rout of visiting Hapoel Jerusalem, a lopsided preseason opener that revealed little.
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It’s dangerous to take too much from a game this mismatched, other than generalities. But one thing seems clear: the early praise for Saraf’s impressive summer and solid camp was warranted.
“He plays like a vet. He was good with the ball taking care of the ball, which at times in camp it was something he hasn’t been as good at,” said Jordi Fernández. “With five fouls, that’s the thing that he’s going to clean up a little bit more. But I was very, very happy even though he had those fouls early in the game, his mind was in the game and he kept playing and he was not really affected by it. So it tells you who he is, how mature he is at his age. He’s just going to keep getting better.”
With lottery pick Egor Dëmin recovering from a plantar fascia tear, Fernández started Saraf at point guard over Nolan Traore and former first-rounder Kobe Bufkin.
And the teenaged Saraf looked like a vet, with nine points, six assists, just one turnover and a plus-25. The assists and plus-minus were game-highs.
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“Yeah I was super happy for the game. For the first game of mine, especially against an Israeli team. You saw the crowd, it was a great environment here. I was really excited before the game,” said Saraf, who had three fouls in his first four minutes before settling in.
Ben Saraf goes up for a shot after driving past Yovel Zoosman during the Nets’ 123-88 round over Hapoel Jerusalem at Barclays Center on Oct. 4, 2025. AP
“I think the team wants to play aggressive. I mean of course not fouling. It’s something I need to do the adjustment for the NBA. It’s a little different in Europe. all the rules and grabbing and stuff. So, I think the second half was better for me, fouling wise. So, just learn from it.”
Fernández went with a starting lineup of Saraf, Cam Thomas, Terance Mann, Michael Porter Jr., and Nic Claxton.
Bufkin played almost exclusively off the ball, with eight points and a plus-12 in 11:26.
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Perhaps the Nets see him as an off-guard rather than a point.
Cam Thomas (24) makes a pass during the first half of the Nets’ preseason blowout win over Hapoel Jerusalem. Robert Sabo for NY Post
Mann had 15 points on 6-of-7 shooting, while Porter and Noah Clowney added 13. The latter shot 5-of-5, added four rebounds and was plus-19.
“Tempo and just aggression defensively, picking up as much as we can and speeding the game up. We did a decent job,” Porter said. “We fouled too much and we’ve still got to get in better shape. But overall there was a lot of bright, bright spots.”
Dëmin, Drake Powell and Haywood Highsmith were the only Nets unavailable.
Fernández said Powell — who has been practicing full-contact in his comeback from knee tendinopathy — is expected to suit up and make his debut next week in one of the two games against the Suns in China.
The Nets will see Steve Nash, who is now serving as a consultant for the Suns. Nash was Brooklyn’s head coach from 2020-22, fired on Nov. 1, 2022.
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The Nets rolled to a 123-88 rout of Hapoel Jerusalem in a lopsided preseason opener that revealed absolutely nothing.
There is little to take from a game this mismatched, other than generalities.
The Nets will defend and scrap, even in games and moments that don’t matter. They’ll be physical, maybe a little too much. The Nets were sloppy and foul-prone when they shouldn’t have been, against an overmatched team that couldn’t beat them off the dribble. But by and large, there were few nits to pick.
Coach Jordi Fernández went with a starting lineup of Ben Saraf, Cam Thomas, Terance Mann, Michael Porter Jr. and Nic Claxton. That’s probably not too far off from the optimal Nets quintet, though point guard is a position in flux.
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The Nets drafted three point guards in the first round in June — Egor Dëmin, Saraf and Nolan Traore — then traded for Kobe Bufkin, a 2023 first-rounder. But with Dëmin still sidelined with plantar fasciitis and Saraf having drawn more buzz than Traore from his offseason and early camp workout, the 19-year-old Israeli got the nod on Saturday against Hapoel Jerusalem.
Saraf — who was raised in Israel and played his first two pro seasons there — had nine points, six assists, just one turnover and finished plus-25, the assists and plus-minus both team highs. The five fouls in 17:56 — including three in his first four minutes on the floor — may have been a case of being too fired up, or maybe defensive failings.
Either way, it’ll bear watching against better competition when the Nets face NBA competition, playing the Suns next week in China.
It’s noteworthy that he got the start over Traore, and Bufkin — who was a combo guard in Atlanta — played almost exclusively off the ball, with eight points and a plus-12 in 11:26. Perhaps the Nets see him as an off-guard rather than a point.
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Mann had 15 points on 6-of-7 shooting, while Porter and Noah Clowney added 13. The latter shot 5-of-5, added four rebounds and was plus-19.
Dëmin, rookie Drake Powell and veteran Haywood Highsmith were the only Nets unavailable.
Fernández said Powell — who has been practicing full contact in his comeback from knee tendinopathy — is expected to suit up and make his debut next week in one of the two games against the Suns in China.
Dëmin is still recovering from a plantar fascia tear, and hasn’t been cleared for full contact practice yet. The lottery pick has downplayed the injury, and the Nets have claimed Dëmin should be ready by opening night. Highsmith has also pointed to that as a target date as he recovers from knee surgery.
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Other than that, Fernández expects every healthy player to see action over the next couple of games. The Nets got 17 players on the floor Saturday night, with Fanbo Zeng the only healthy player who didn’t see action, a DNP-Coach’s Decision.
The Nets will see Steve Nash, who is now serving as a consultant for the Suns. Nash was Brooklyn’s head coach from 2020-22, fired on Nov. 1, 2022.