Egor Demin sets NBA rookie 3-point record as Nets snap 7-game skid with 109-99 win over Jazz

SALT LAKE CITY (AP) — Egor Demin set an NBA rookie record by making a 3-pointer in his 34th straight game and finished with 25 points and 10 rebounds to help the Brooklyn Nets snap a seven-game losing streak with a 109-99 victory over the Utah Jazz on Friday night.

Demin, who was 6 of 12 from 3-point range, set the mark on the first basket for Brooklyn.

Cam Thomas added 21 points for the Nets, Day’ron Sharpe had 16 points and nine rebounds, and Danny Wolf added 14 points. Brooklyn outscored the Jazz 20-2 in second-chance points.

Keyonte George led Utah with 26 points and seven assists. Brice Sensabaugh had 18 points off the bench for the Jazz, who have lost five straight games and nine of their last 10. Kyle Filipowski had 14 points and 12 rebounds, while Ace Bailey added in 12 points.

Brooklyn used an 8-0 run that was capped by Jalen Wilson’s 3-pointer to go up 91-83 early in the fourth quarter.

Utah pulled within a basket again on a dunk from Cody Williams. But Demin and Wolf combined to make three 3-pointers to extend the Nets’ lead back to 100-90 with 4:45 remaining.

Thomas made five baskets and four free throws, scoring 14 straight points to help Brooklyn build a 52-38 lead in the second quarter. Utah cut the deficit to a single basket by halftime and tied it at 54-54 on a driving layup from Bailey 72 seconds into the second half.

The Jazz tied it score three more times in the third quarter – the final time at 81 on a 3-pointer by Bailey – but were unable to claim a lead.

Nets: Play at Detroit on Sunday.

Jazz: Play at Toronto on Sunday.

AP NBA: https://apnews.com/hub/nba

Utah Jazz center Kyle Filipowski (22) and forward Cody Williams (5) defend against Brooklyn Nets guard Nolan Traore (88) who goes up to shoot during the second half of an NBA basketball game, Friday, Jan. 30, 2026, in Salt Lake City. (AP Photo/Anna Fuder)

Utah Jazz center Kyle Filipowski, left, goes up to shoot over Brooklyn Nets forward Danny Wolf (2) during the second half of an NBA basketball game, Friday, Jan. 30, 2026, in Salt Lake City. (AP Photo/Anna Fuder)

Brooklyn Nets forward Jalen Wilson (22) shoots over Utah Jazz guard Keyonte George, left, during the first half of an NBA basketball game, Friday, Jan. 30, 2026, in Salt Lake City. (AP Photo/Anna Fuder)

Brooklyn Nets guard Cam Thomas (24) goes up to shoot over Utah Jazz forward Brice Sensabaugh, left, during the first half of an NBA basketball game, Friday, Jan. 30, 2026, in Salt Lake City. (AP Photo/Anna Fuder)

Brooklyn Nets guard Egor Dëmin (8) looks to shoot over Utah Jazz forward Cody Williams (5) during the first half of an NBA basketball game, Friday, Jan. 30, 2026, in Salt Lake City. (AP Photo/Anna Fuder)

NEW YORK (AP) — The early Bird had to circle Yankee Stadium.

Jake Bird arrived at 8:15 a.m. Friday, more than five hours before the start of his first game in pinstripes. The gate where New York Yankees players usually enter wasn't yet open and he was told to enter from the other side of the ballpark, at Gate 6.

“I just walked around,” the relief pitcher said. "It was a nice foggy morning.”

Eight months after the Yankees acquired him from Colorado, Bird pitched in the Bronx for the first time Friday. He struck out two in a perfect seventh inning of an 8-2 win over the Miami Marlins in New York's home opener.

Bird credited Natalie Girard for recommending he account for possibly congested streets when he called for Uber pickup at his Manhattan hotel.

“My girlfriend is really familiar with New York, so she was kind of telling me, `Hey, there might be traffic in the morning, so you should get there early,'” Bird recalled. “Also, I didn’t really know where to enter the stadium and stuff and I’ve been in that spot before where I kind of got lost, so just it didn’t hurt to get here a little early and kind of familiarize myself with the place.”

Hours later, he entered with a 5-2 lead in the seventh inning. Bird retired Otto Lopez on a flyout, threw a called third strike past Owen Caissie and struck out Connor Norby.

Bird pumped both arms and screamed.

“He had a little emotional release after getting that third out,” Yankees manager Aaron Boone said. “He was, again, really sharp, man, and went right through the middle of their order. Right, left, left was efficient.”

Bird was dealt by the Rockies for a pair of prospects last July 31, made three relief appearances on the road, the last in Texas ending with Josh Jung's three-run, walk-off homer, and was sent to Triple-A for the rest of the season.

“I know last year it didn’t really work out the way he wanted,” Yankees captain Aaron Judge said, “He’s a guy that wants to be here. He wants to be great and I think after going through last year he knows the expectations now and he’s ready to go.”

Bird has allowed one hit over 4 1/3 scoreless innings in four games this season, striking out five and walking none.

“I’m just trying to stay closed and not fly open,” he said. “I know my slider and my breaking balls have been really good and fastball is a weak point at times, so just trying to build on the breaking balls as a strength and trying to improve the fastball, as well.”

An economics major at UCLA, Bird was taken by the Rockies on the fifth round of the 2018 amateur draft and made his big league debut in 2022. He has a 4.68 ERA with 221 strikeouts in 236 2/3 innings.

“Opening day is amazing," he said, “experience it here for the first time was really cool.”

AP MLB: https://apnews.com/mlb

New York Yankees' pitcher Jake Bird walks back to dugout during the sixth inning of a home-opener baseball game against the Miami Marlins, Friday, April 3, 2026, in New York. (AP Photo/Yuki Iwamura)