{"id":173996,"date":"2026-03-17T07:37:51","date_gmt":"2026-03-17T07:37:51","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/sportsrabbi.com\/?p=173996"},"modified":"2026-03-17T07:37:51","modified_gmt":"2026-03-17T07:37:51","slug":"we-were-like-dreamers-deni-avdija-ben-saraf-danny-wolf-tip-off-in-historical-israeli-nba-game","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/sportsrabbi.com\/en\/we-were-like-dreamers-deni-avdija-ben-saraf-danny-wolf-tip-off-in-historical-israeli-nba-game\/","title":{"rendered":"&#8220;We Were Like Dreamers&#8221; Deni Avdija, Ben Saraf, Danny Wolf Tip-Off in Historical Israeli NBA Game"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><strong>\u201cWe were like dreamers.\u201d Psalm 126<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>The Portland Trail Blazers defeated the Brooklyn Nets 114\u201395 on the road Monday night at the Barclays Center in a historic matchup that featured three Israelis in the NBA and not just any Israelis, All Star Deni Avdija along with rookies Ben Saraf and Danny Wolf who gave us a night to remember.<\/p>\n<p>Despite the result for the Nets, the one who will undoubtedly be remembered as the game\u2019s biggest hero is Saraf.<\/p>\n<p>The 19-year-old Brooklyn guard, whose team came into the game on a strong run, was questionable to play but ultimately was declared active. However, it took time for Saraf to get into the flow of things and first checked in midway through the second quarter and didn\u2019t impress much initially.<\/p>\n<p>Then came the end of the third quarter.<\/p>\n<p>Saraf completed a three-point play with 0.7 seconds left in the period and from there he didn\u2019t stop. Early in the fourth, with his team already down by 31 (91\u201360), he capped a 16\u20130 run to cut the deficit to 91\u201376.<\/p>\n<p>Saraf kept going, stood out in his matchup against Avdija, broke his NBA career high with 13 points and finished with a dunk to reach 15. He scored 10 points in the fourth quarter alone.<\/p>\n<p>Overall, Saraf finished with career highs of 15 points (5\/9 from two, 0\/1 from three, 5\/6 from the line) and 4 steals thanks to outstanding individual defense, along with 4 assists, 4 turnovers and a +4 plus-minus in 23:38 minutes.<\/p>\n<p>Avdija, on the other hand, led all scorers alongside Toumani Camara with 18 points (3\/9 from two, 1\/4 from three, 9\/12 from the line), 6 rebounds, 5 assists, 4 turnovers, a steal, a block and a +22 plus-minus in 34 minutes.<\/p>\n<p>Wolf showed flashes with 8 points (1\/5 from two, 2\/4 from three), 5 rebounds, 4 assists, 4 turnovers, 2 blocks and a -14 plus-minus in 24 minutes.<\/p>\n<blockquote class=\"twitter-tweet\">\n<p lang=\"en\" dir=\"ltr\">AMAZING NIGHT FOR ISRAELI BASKETBALL \ud83c\uddee\ud83c\uddf1\ud83c\udfc0<\/p>\n<p>BEN SARAF<\/p>\n<p>15 PTS (NBA CAREER HIGH)<br \/>4 AST<br \/>4 STL (CAREER HIGH)<br \/>+ 4<br \/>24 MIN<\/p>\n<p>DENI AVDIJA<\/p>\n<p>18 PTS<br \/>6 REB<br \/>5 AST<br \/>+ 22<br \/>34 MIN<\/p>\n<p>DANNY WOLF<\/p>\n<p>8 PTS<br \/>5 REB<br \/>4 AST<br \/>2 BLK<br \/>2-4 FOR 3<br \/>24 MIN <a href=\"https:\/\/t.co\/D5jhW3mo9f\">pic.twitter.com\/D5jhW3mo9f<\/a><\/p>\n<p>&mdash; Sports Rabbi (@thesportsrabbi) <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/thesportsrabbi\/status\/2033725513986945054?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">March 17, 2026<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n<p> <script async src=\"https:\/\/platform.twitter.com\/widgets.js\" charset=\"utf-8\"><\/script><br \/>\nAt the postgame press conference, Nets coach Jordi Fern\u00e1ndez praised Saraf, \u201cWe believe Ben is a high-level defender and can be even better. With his size and the way he uses his body and pressures the ball, he just needs to be more active on the weak side. But you see the stat line: 15 points, 4 assists. The downside is 4 turnovers. We had 17 turnovers that led to 20 points and that needs to be improved.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Saraf also shared his thoughts, \u201cThe main thing for us was protecting the paint, we didn\u2019t do a good job. Also free throws, I think they had 22 for the whole game. Offensively, we didn\u2019t shoot enough threes. They did a good job forcing us into mid-range shots, those were the key things. I feel like I\u2019m doing a pretty good job in one-on-one defense. My next step is off-ball defense, always knowing where other players are and making the right rotations.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>On his first NBA matchup with Avdija, \u201cIt was great. I\u2019d been waiting for this game for a long time. He\u2019s a great guy and a great friend, especially with Danny Wolf too. Three Israelis on the court at the same time, that was very special.\u201d<\/p>\n<blockquote class=\"twitter-tweet\">\n<p lang=\"en\" dir=\"ltr\">Deni Avdija, Ben Saraf, Danny Wolf. 3 Israeli players on the court in an NBA game, in the same time. HISTORY \ud83c\uddee\ud83c\uddf1 <a href=\"https:\/\/t.co\/8ewUiUSX3d\">pic.twitter.com\/8ewUiUSX3d<\/a><\/p>\n<p>&mdash; Sports Rabbi (@thesportsrabbi) <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/thesportsrabbi\/status\/2033714537501688182?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">March 17, 2026<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n<p> <script async src=\"https:\/\/platform.twitter.com\/widgets.js\" charset=\"utf-8\"><\/script><br \/>\nAbout the jersey he got from Avdija, \u201cI\u2019ll probably hang it at home, I don\u2019t know.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>On their relationship: \u201cI think it started last year when we had a preseason game against them with Ulm, the team I played for in Germany. We stayed in touch. The main thing he told me is to take care of your body, that\u2019s huge. Recovery and everything. He\u2019s experienced it, he had an 82-game season. I have a lot to learn from him, and he really helps me with everything.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>How he\u2019s changed since the draft, \u201cI think I\u2019ve gotten used to it, adjusting to living in New York and playing on the court. I feel more comfortable and more confident now, which is good.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>About Avdija\u2019s impact in Israel after making the All-Star team, \u201cIt\u2019s huge. Everyone in Israel followed and supported him all year. People know how big it was to have an Israeli in the All-Star Game for the first time. We were all very happy for him.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>On the historic game during this period in Israel, \u201cA very emotional night. It\u2019s too bad that we lost, but it\u2019s bigger than that. The number of Jewish and Israeli fans here, when Deni was introduced, the whole crowd stood up. Every basket, it was emotional for me, for Danny Wolf, for everyone. It was a big event.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>About feeling safe in New York, \u201cVery. I haven\u2019t encountered antisemitism at all. I feel very safe. The Jewish community really embraces me, the Shabbat invitations are endless. I really appreciate the warmth and love. I haven\u2019t experienced anything negative, people really love us here.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>On turnovers, \u201cIn recent months, it\u2019s been a lot of one-foot passes when I drive without control, or getting called for charges, or losing the ball because I\u2019m committed to the move. Sometimes I try risky passes, I\u2019m trying to cut those down.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Wanting to score against Avdija, \u201cI think we both wanted to. When he missed that three, he was disappointed, he wanted it. On the other side, I really wanted to score too. It\u2019s fun. I wish him all the best and hope for many more matchups like this.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Avdija also spoke after the game, \u201cThe most important thing is getting back to ourselves \u2014 playing together, enjoying the game, and winning. We don\u2019t dwell on losses. We just keep playing hard and try to build a winning streak.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>What was different, \u201cFocus. Attention to detail. We were locked in. We came to play. We were a bit angry after yesterday\u2019s loss.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>On the crowd, \u201cOh my God, yes. I was really surprised to see Barclays Center full. It means a lot to me. I have no words for the support, I\u2019m very grateful.\u201d<\/p>\n<blockquote class=\"twitter-tweet\">\n<p lang=\"iw\" dir=\"rtl\">\u05d3\u05e0\u05d9 \u05d0\u05d1\u05d3\u05d9\u05d4 \u05de\u05d5\u05d3\u05d4 \u05dc\u05d1\u05e8\u05d5\u05e7\u05dc\u05d9\u05df \ud83e\udee1 <a href=\"https:\/\/t.co\/AbwcZWmADL\">pic.twitter.com\/AbwcZWmADL<\/a><\/p>\n<p>&mdash; Sports Rabbi (@thesportsrabbi) <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/thesportsrabbi\/status\/2033743518942814222?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">March 17, 2026<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n<p> <script async src=\"https:\/\/platform.twitter.com\/widgets.js\" charset=\"utf-8\"><\/script><br \/>\nAbout Saraf, \u201cIt was good, we didn\u2019t manage to score on each other (laughs). I just enjoyed being out there. Back-to-back games, coming off injury, I played a lot of minutes. I was a bit rusty early, but the crowd got me going. We got the job done.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>On the jersey he got from Saraf, \u201cIt\u2019s going into my collection. I\u2019ve got a big collection. We grew up 20 minutes apart \u2014 it\u2019s amazing to see him and Danny Wolf succeeding. I wish them success this season and beyond.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>About their relationship, \u201cWe don\u2019t talk daily, but he\u2019s probably going through rookie things like I did, fatigue, taking care of the body. It looks like he\u2019s doing a great job. He\u2019s tough, he\u2019s got a strong mentality, and he can play. I\u2019m always here for him.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>On the special night, \u201cI haven\u2019t fully processed it yet. It\u2019s tough that many people from Israel couldn\u2019t come because of the war. I hope everyone is okay. Representing on the biggest stage \u2014 it\u2019s emotional for me and for many others. One of the most fun nights I\u2019ve had.\u201d<\/p>\n<blockquote class=\"twitter-tweet\">\n<p lang=\"en\" dir=\"ltr\">This is the MOMENT, tonight is THE NIGHT \ud83d\udc99\ud83c\uddee\ud83c\uddf1\ud83c\udfc0 <a href=\"https:\/\/t.co\/g3vNsIyYTs\">pic.twitter.com\/g3vNsIyYTs<\/a><\/p>\n<p>&mdash; Sports Rabbi (@thesportsrabbi) <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/thesportsrabbi\/status\/2033744393736245625?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">March 17, 2026<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n<p> <script async src=\"https:\/\/platform.twitter.com\/widgets.js\" charset=\"utf-8\"><\/script><br \/>\nAbout the crowd compared to Tel Aviv, \u201cDefinitely. It reminded me of Menora (arena), of those old days. It gave me energy when I was lacking it.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>On pressure, \u201cNo pressure. People come whether I score 50 or 10. It\u2019s an honor and a joy.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>About viewership in Israel, \u201c100%. I know a lot of people watched \u2014 that\u2019s amazing.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Message to international players, \u201cIn this era, there are many opportunities to reach the NBA. It\u2019s a global game now. Don\u2019t stop chasing your dreams. I grew up in a small place where basketball wasn\u2019t big, I just kept working. In a blink, you\u2019re on the biggest stage in the world. It\u2019s incredible.\u201d<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>\u201cWe were like dreamers.\u201d Psalm 126 The Portland Trail Blazers defeated the Brooklyn Nets 114\u201395 on the road Monday night at the Barclays Center in a historic matchup that featured three Israelis in the NBA and not just any Israelis, All Star Deni Avdija along with rookies Ben Saraf and Danny Wolf who gave us [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":12,"featured_media":173990,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_et_pb_use_builder":"","_et_pb_old_content":"","_et_gb_content_width":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[9],"tags":[5674,37,29],"class_list":["post-173996","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-holy-land-hoops","tag-ben-saraf","tag-deni-avdija","tag-israel","et-has-post-format-content","et_post_format-et-post-format-standard"],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v27.3 - https:\/\/yoast.com\/product\/yoast-seo-wordpress\/ -->\n<title>&quot;We Were Like Dreamers&quot; Deni Avdija, Ben Saraf, Danny Wolf Tip-Off in Historical Israeli NBA Game - Sports Rabbi<\/title>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/sportsrabbi.com\/en\/we-were-like-dreamers-deni-avdija-ben-saraf-danny-wolf-tip-off-in-historical-israeli-nba-game\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"&quot;We Were Like Dreamers&quot; Deni Avdija, Ben Saraf, Danny Wolf Tip-Off in Historical Israeli NBA Game - Sports Rabbi\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"\u201cWe were like dreamers.\u201d Psalm 126 The Portland Trail Blazers defeated the Brooklyn Nets 114\u201395 on the road Monday night at the Barclays Center in a historic matchup that featured three Israelis in the NBA and not just any Israelis, All Star Deni Avdija along with rookies Ben Saraf and Danny Wolf who gave us [&hellip;]\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:url\" content=\"https:\/\/sportsrabbi.com\/en\/we-were-like-dreamers-deni-avdija-ben-saraf-danny-wolf-tip-off-in-historical-israeli-nba-game\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:site_name\" content=\"Sports Rabbi\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:published_time\" content=\"2026-03-17T07:37:51+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:image\" content=\"https:\/\/sportsrabbi.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/IMG_4976.jpeg\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:width\" content=\"1365\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:height\" content=\"724\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:type\" content=\"image\/jpeg\" \/>\n<meta name=\"author\" content=\"Moshe Halickman\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:card\" content=\"summary_large_image\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:label1\" content=\"Written by\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data1\" content=\"Moshe Halickman\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:label2\" content=\"Est. reading time\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data2\" content=\"6 minutes\" \/>\n<script type=\"application\/ld+json\" class=\"yoast-schema-graph\">{\"@context\":\"https:\\\/\\\/schema.org\",\"@graph\":[{\"@type\":\"Article\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/sportsrabbi.com\\\/en\\\/we-were-like-dreamers-deni-avdija-ben-saraf-danny-wolf-tip-off-in-historical-israeli-nba-game\\\/#article\",\"isPartOf\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/sportsrabbi.com\\\/en\\\/we-were-like-dreamers-deni-avdija-ben-saraf-danny-wolf-tip-off-in-historical-israeli-nba-game\\\/\"},\"author\":{\"name\":\"Moshe Halickman\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/sportsrabbi.com\\\/en\\\/#\\\/schema\\\/person\\\/e038fa1f7e50b59819acd3b4701d2caa\"},\"headline\":\"&#8220;We Were Like Dreamers&#8221; 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