What happened: Egor Demin shifted back to point guard for the Brooklyn Nets, sparking a 114-108 preseason victory over the Philadelphia 76ers at Barclays Center. With Mikel Brown Jr. unavailable, Demin tallied 13 points and five assists while finishing a game-high plus-13. The sophomore guard highlighted the night by crossing up LeBron James and driving over Joel Embiid.

Why it matters: The performance demonstrates Demin's growth handling the ball after an offseason spent bulking up to improve his downhill game. Head coach Jordi Fernandez noted the 20-year-old's improved composure against pressure at the point of attack. Brooklyn Nets teammate Julius Randle praised the Russian guard's vocal leadership on the rebuilding roster.

What to watch: Fernandez will evaluate how to deploy Demin and Brown together once Brown is cleared to return to the rotation.