In the past, the Nets always would feel like they were playing on the road when teams like the Lakers, Celtics, Knicks and Heat came to town. But that’s already begun to change in their first year in Brooklyn, something the Lakers will experience tonight when they make their first trip to Barclays Center.
“When all the big franchises came to town, it felt like they had more fans than us, and that hasn’t been the case,” Deron Williams said after yesterday’s practice. “The closest was probably the Knicks, and I still thought it was more favorable for us.”
While the move to Brooklyn has helped, Williams said the fact the team is winning has played a large role, as well.
“I definitely think that helps,” Williams said. “It definitely helps to win. If we would have been been a playoff team in Jersey, I remember seeing games where they were going to the Finals and they had great crowds out there.
“We just weren’t winning, and that they knew we were moving to Brooklyn … I think all of those things compounded that.”
* Nets backup point guard C.J. Watson will be a game-time decision tonight after spraining his left ankle Sunday.
“I just twisted it in practice,” said Watson, who sat out yesterday and planned to test the ankle in this morning’s shootaround.
After watching practice, Watson spent yesterday afternoon at Barclays Center, where he took part in a ceremony to honor the Black Fives, the early-20th century African-American basketball league.
“It’s pretty big, just to be there and represent the Brooklyn Nets,” Watson said of the ceremony. “There’s a lot of history there, so it’s going to be important for me to see.”
Six large-scale photographs of the Black Fives will be installed inside Barclays Center’s main concourse, and will be officially unveiled at halftime of Sunday’s game against the Spurs.
* Jerry Stackhouse will be a game-time decision with a stiff neck, while MarShon Brooks’ status also could be up in the air after he rolled his ankle in yesterday’s practice.
“I was on the break, and got fouled and just rolled my ankle,” said Brooks, who thought he’d be able to play.
Rookie Tornike Shengelia remains out with a concussion.
Former Jets general manger Mike Tannenbaum came to watch yesterday’s practice.