NBA

Nets face Hawks in final New Jersey debut

WASHINGTON — They have played in Piscataway, N.J., in a college facility when they opened to a crowd of 4,960 in 1977-78, in East Rutherford in an arena that carried three different names but rarely sellout crowds, and lastly in Newark in a place built for hockey. But after tonight’s game against the Hawks, the Nets will open their home NBA schedules in Brooklyn in a professional facility intended for basketball.

“That game [tonight] is going to be the last home opener and the next game is going to be the last second home game,” said Nets coach Avery Johnson. “Hopefully, we’re going to put a product on the floor the Nets and the fans can be proud of.”

In their first NBA season, the Nets still called New York home and didn’t put down roots in New Jersey until the 1977-78 season when that sparse crowd saw an overtime defeat to the New Orleans Jazz. That crowd was even worse than the 8,749 who welcomed Jason Kidd’s first Nets home opener in 2001. In their 34 first games in Snooki’s favorite state, the Nets compiled a 17-17 record, including 3-1 in overtime games.

Only two Nets ever scored 30 or more in a home opener, and both came in losses to the Pacers. Derrick Coleman went for 35 on Nov. 11, 1993 in a 108-105 overtime setback. And the most points ever by Net in such a game were the 39 from Stephon Marbury in a 119-112 loss to Indiana on Nov. 2, 1999.

* Mehmet Okur, who is thrilled to be a Net, had a scoreless 20-minute debut. He missed three shots and had five rebounds. “I’m happy to be here,” Okur said. “It’s been a long couple days but that’s fine. It’s good to be here to be able to play with Deron [Williams] again.”

* DeShawn Stevenson, who signed late last week, played 12 seconds. Shawne Williams, who missed a week with flu-like symptoms, got 12 minutes as Johnson used 12 players. … Johnson on the Wizards’ John Wall: “He’s a one-man fast break.” Wizards coach Flip Saunders on Deron Williams: “When Lopez got hurt, they made some trades but he’s going to have to be even more aggressive and try to control the game even more.’’

Additional reporting by Tim Bontemps.