NBA

Deron wants Nets to show better effort in fourth quarter

ATLANTA — The Gettysburg Address it was not. But at least Deron Williams spoke following the Nets’ game Friday night.

After the two previous games, Williams, who had obvious disagreements with the officiating in both, left without comment. So Friday night he spoke. But he really didn’t want to say anything.

“It’s been a tough week. Teams go through it. We’re going through it,” Williams said after the Nets lost for a fifth straight time, succumbing to the Hawks, 93-84.

Williams was at a loss for words as to why the Nets could play so well for three quarters and stink out the joint in the fourth quarter. The Nets were outscored, 31-15, in the fourth quarter shooting 27.8 percent (5-of-18) from the field compared with the Hawks’ 57.9 percent (11-of-19). The Nets led by six but then were inundated by a 15-4 Hawks streak over a span of just 3:56.

“It’s in our control when you give up 31 points,” Williams said. “That’s our control. It’s not playing defense. We definitely, definitely need a much better effort [Saturday night against Charlotte] than we had [Friday night] in the fourth. But like I said we’re happy for the way we played for three quarters. We just need a full 48 minutes,” Williams said.

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Williams seemed perturbed that he was described as “frustrated” in the media over the Nets’ recent struggles. Well, even his general manager, Billy King, said earlier in the day that everybody is frustrated by the recent turn of events.

“I think it’s been a long season,” King said. “And as I told him, I said, ‘Hey, I’m just as frustrated as you are.’ I’m frustrated. [Coach] Avery [Johnson is] frustrated, we all are. We just got to figure out how best we get through these last [17] games. And as Avery said, our goal is just to get better. We want to be getting better and making progress towards next season.”

And next season, the progress could pay off. Assuming Brook Lopez is back, Johnson said there has only been a “snapshot” of what the Nets could be. He pointed to Lopez’s 38-point game in Dallas.

“We needed that type of game, when Brook dominates, Deron just orchestrates the offense,” Johnson said. “And then that was without Gerald Wallace. So we’ve had a snapshot of what we can be.”

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Jordan Farmar returned from a four-game absence because of a sore groin. He played 12:42 and hopes to be back at it Saturday night against Charlotte in Newark.

“It felt OK,” Farmar said. “I hadn’t played basketball or done anything is a while. Just to be out there felt good. I had a hard time sitting for a long time and going back in so I was trying to find ways to keep it warm.”

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The Nets are at a loss to explain their wretched 5-18 home record.

“I’m still trying to find the right answer,” Johnson said, pointing out how the Nets gave one of their better efforts in a while. “I just think the effort and the focus that our guys had in the first and second quarter, that’s always a good indicator of how we’re going to play the rest of the game. So hopefully [Saturday night at home] we’ll get off to a good start and get some home cooking.”

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One real bright spot for the Nets was rookie Jordan Williams who had eight points and three rebounds in 14:42.

“I’m just trying to build my confidence,” the rookie out of Maryland said. “My teammates have done a great job of helping me out and putting me in that position on the court and I’m just trying to help in any way I can.”

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Gerald Green had another one of his “I don’t believe that” moments when he raced down a fast-breaking Jeff Teague and put on a jaw-dropping block. But Green didn’t care. He was more into hoping the Nets can figure out the best way to handle the final 17 games.

Green said he feels the Nets have been close in the losses since he has been around.

“Every loss is frustrating to us,” Green said. “I don’t think one is more than the other. As a team we’ve got to buy into what Avery’s saying and listen to our leaders, Deron and our veterans, Gerald Wallace and D-Steve [DeShawn Stevenson]. We’ve got to just figure it out. We’re just one or two plays away. It’s always a few 50-50 balls we’re not getting or we give-up an offensive rebound or we just commit a turnover.

“A lot of it is focus. But I think we’re doing a good job of keeping focused for 40 minutes instead of 48. I think every los is tough. But we have to keep fighting and finish the season out strong.”