Nets’ Egor Dëmin continuing to show he’s made for big moments

Egor Dëmin didn’t score a point in Wednesday’s overtime loss to the Magic until late in the fourth quarter and didn’t hit a shot from the field until his 3-pointer with 1:46 left in regulation.

But the Nets rookie was just getting started, hitting another 3 to tie the game with 5.6 seconds remaining to help force OT.

And in the extra session, the 19-year-old hit three more 3-pointers, the last giving the Nets a two-point lead with 5.3 seconds left.

The rookie’s late heroics were spoiled by Paolo Banchero’s game-winner at the buzzer, but they still left an impression.

If the Nets are fortunate, Dëmin’s 18-point outburst is another sign that the Russian will live up to the high expectations the organization has for him.

“It’s not the first time we’ve seen him in the fourth quarter letting it fly and the ball going in,’’ coach Jordi Fernández said of the 6-foot-8 point guard. “Every time he shoots it, I think it’s going in. … Credit to him for having [the] conviction to shoot it and make them.”

The Nets are counting on more of those types of performances, and Wednesday was not the first time Dëmin was able to tune out a rough first three quarters to deliver late.

After the game, Dëmin credited his ability to shake off a poor performance during a game to remaining present.

“I always felt comfortable growing up in these types of situations,’’ Dëmin said. “If I have a rough game, at the end of the game, it’s easier for me to get the energy out.”

---

---

He showed no fear against Orlando as he delivered again and again at Barclays Center, with the Nets looking for a second consecutive home win following their victory over Denver.

When the Nets surprised much of the league by taking Dëmin at No. 8, with their first lottery pick in 15 years, some doubted whether he’d be able to shoot well enough to succeed.

There was little question about his playmaking ability, as he was considered arguably the top passer in the draft.

His vision remains unquestioned, but the jumper can still come and go.

What is undeniable, though, is Dëmin seems to have a knack for the big moment.

That, according to Fernández, will continue to be valuable.

“Special players can do those things,” Fernández said of Dëmin putting his struggles from earlier in the game behind him.

“Seeing him now as a 19-year-old, as a rookie, he’s able to make shots in the fourth quarter,” Fernández said. “It’s gonna get harder because teams will know and probably will put more pressure [on him], but he’s smart and he’ll use that pressure against teams.”

And there is plenty of room for Dëmin to grow.

“There’s a lot we can work on with him,’’ Fernández said. “The ceiling is very high for the player we believe he is, but something we cannot teach is those moments. And he has that.”

---

Michael Porter Jr. was added to the injury report Thursday for Friday’s game against the Clippers at Barclays Center. He was listed as probable with knee soreness. The Nets have lost four of five since winning a season-high three in a row and begin a three-game road trip Sunday in Memphis. They have the fifth-worst record in the league.