After a disappointing opening-night loss, the Long Island Nets bounced back in impressive fashion on Saturday night, defeating the Greensboro Swarm, 98-95, at Novant Health Fieldhouse.
In more than one way, the G League club’s win was the opposite of the big club’s loss in Atlanta.
Despite trailing by as many as 16 points during the contest, Long Island found a way to overcome its early struggles and secure its first victory of the 2026-27 NBA G League season. The biggest stories of the night were
undoubtedly Ben Saraf and Dain Dainja, who combined for 50 points, each delivering a double-double with heroics at the end.
Long Island got off to a difficult start, falling behind 34-28 after the opening quarter. They sorely missed Grant Nelson (knee management) and Joshua Jefferson (back management) early on. Both were benched in this second of a back-to-back.
Greensboro continued to build its advantage in the second, taking a 54-45 lead into halftime. However, the Nets began turning things around after the break, outscoring the Swarm 21-20 in the third quarter before delivering their best defensive effort of the night in the fourth. Long Island held Greensboro to just 20 points in the final period while scoring 32 of its own, completing an impressive comeback and escaping with a three-point victory.
For Long Island, it was a complete game.
For Ben Saraf, Saturday’s performance was exactly the kind of response the Brooklyn Nets organization wanted to see. After struggling mightily in Friday’s season opener, scoring just eight points on 3-of-14 shooting, Saraf looked like a completely different player in the rematch. It was arguably the Israeli player’s best game in any Nets uniform, whether in the NBA, G League or Summer League.
The Brooklyn Nets guard, currently on assignment with Long Island, finished with 21 points, 12 assists, four rebounds, two steals and one block in 34 minutes, shooting 9-of-19 overall and 3-of-8 from deep…
Saraf shot an efficient 9-of-18 from the field and connected on three of his eight attempts from beyond the arc. More importantly, he looked comfortable directing the offense and creating opportunities for his teammates. His 12 assists were a game-high and represented an improvement over an already respectable seven-assist performance the previous night. In two games, Saraf has racked up 19 assists against seven turnovers, an assist to-turnover ratio of 2.7 to 1, a very good to excellent number in any league. The game marked Saraf’s first-ever double-double in the NBA G League.
The young guard’s ability to bounce back from a difficult outing was arguably just as impressive as his statistics. Saraf is still developing his game and adjusting to the physicality and pace of basketball in the United States, making performances like this particularly encouraging. His combination of scoring and playmaking was instrumental in Long Island’s comeback, and Saturday offered a glimpse of why Brooklyn invested a first-round selection in him.
While Saraf controlled the offense from the backcourt, Dain Dainja was an absolute force in the paint. Making just his second appearance with Long Island, Dainja delivered a spectacular double-double, finishing with a game-high 29 points and 13 rebounds. His 13 rebounds were a career-high. He shot an outstanding 11-of-15 from the field, adding three assists, two steals, and one block in 34 minutes.
Dainja’s dominance was especially impressive coming off his performance the previous night. In Friday’s opener, he scored 16 points and recorded three blocks off the bench, tying his career high. Less than 24 hours later, he was inserted into the starting lineup and responded with an even better showing, establishing himself as one of Long Island’s most productive players through the opening two games.
Perhaps the most impressive aspect of Dainja’s performance was his physicality around the basket. Six of his 13 rebounds came on the offensive glass, giving Long Island valuable second-chance opportunities. He also committed zero turnovers and finished with a team-best plus-21 rating. For a player who is still getting acclimated to his new surroundings, Dainja has made an outstanding first impression.
Dion Brown was another important contributor, providing 15 points off the bench in 28 minutes. Brown shot 7-of-13 from the field and added two rebounds and one steal. After scoring 15 points in just 16 minutes during Friday’s opener, the Saint Louis product followed it up with another strong offensive performance. His consistency through the first two games has been a welcome development for Long Island, particularly with the team looking for reliable scoring options beyond its starting lineup.
Dwight Murray Jr. also made his presence felt offensively, finishing with 12 points on 5-of-8 shooting in 17 minutes. Murray was particularly effective from the perimeter, connecting on both of his three-point attempts.
Tyler Bilodeau, the Nets No. 43 pick in June’s draft, finished with eight points, three rebounds and one block in 24 minutes. The former UCLA standout shot 3-of-8 from the field and connected on two of his five 3-point attempts. Although his offensive production was down from Friday’s 13-point performance, Bilodeau continued to provide Long Island with floor spacing and another perimeter shooting threat.
Isaiah Wong had a quieter offensive night after scoring 16 points in the season opener. Wong finished with six points on 2-of-9 shooting, missing all three of his attempts from beyond the arc. However, he made contributions elsewhere, recording three assists and three steals while committing zero turnovers. Wong’s eight steals through the first two games with Long Island are the most by any player in Long Island franchise history.
One of the biggest differences between the two teams came in the turnover battle. Long Island committed just five turnovers compared to Greensboro’s 21, a remarkable disparity that helped the Nets overcome some of their offensive inconsistencies. Long Island also recorded 11 steals and generated additional scoring opportunities by taking care of the basketball.
The Nets finished shooting 40-of-86 (47%) from the field and 9-of-31 (29%) from three-point range. Although their outside shooting remained inconsistent, Long Island’s ability to protect the basketball and capitalize on Greensboro’s mistakes proved crucial. The Swarm actually outrebounded the Nets 48-37 and shot a higher percentage from the field, but Long Island’s discipline and defensive pressure ultimately made the difference.
For Long Island, this victory was about much more than simply evening its record at 1-1. It was an opportunity to see two exciting young players deliver exceptional performances while demonstrating the resilience necessary to overcome a difficult start. Saraf’s playmaking and Dainja’s dominance inside provided the foundation for an impressive comeback, and both players have given the Nets plenty of reasons for optimism moving forward.
Long Island will look to build on its first victory when it returns to action for its next NBA G League Tip-Off Tournament matchup on Tuesday, November 10th, against the College Park Skyhawks. The game tips off at 7:00 p.m. EST and can be watched on the NBA website or the NBA app.
- Boxscore: Long Island Nets 98, Greensboro 95 – G League
