ATLANTA — Deron Williams really wants to play again for the Nets this season. And he really wants to play against the Knicks on Wednesday in the Garden, which is looming as the likely place for his return.
“Maybe I’ll eye that New York game. It’s a big game,” said Williams, who sat a fifth straight game resting his strained right wrist last night — and he picked a great one to miss as the Nets were blasted, 98-87, by the Hawks, who pushed them to the brink of playoff elimination.
The Nets (23-49, tragic number one) trailed by 28 in the first half, rallied to within 10. Coach Avery Johnson praised the comeback but could not forgive the start.
“I explained to our team what we did in the first half was unacceptable from every facet of Basketball 101,” said Johnson, whose Nets got 25 points from Anthony Morrow but just six points, no rebounds from Brook Lopez.
Later, it was revealed Lopez has played with a right arm calcium deposit that’s painful when hit.
With that start, who knows what effect Williams could have had. So better to look ahead. Squarely at Wednesday.
“It matters to everybody. It’s a big game, period. Just because it’s the Knicks — there’s a lot of animosity between ownerships and some things going back and forth,” said Williams, who was acquired from the Jazz in a blockbuster deal before the deadline — and before Utah made its only trip to New York. “So it’d be a fun game to be a part of, I would think. I didn’t get a chance to play in the Garden this year.”
Williams said he has not yet discussed playing Wednesday with team brass, “but I was probably going to play sooner than later, and one of these next couple games would be it.”
Williams reiterated his wrist needs up to a month to heal fully and that every time he plays, he risks re-aggravating the injury. But he said he wants to attempt one more return. If he hurts the wrist again, he’ll shut it down.
“I hate sitting out. I could say I’m going to sit out for the season, but then I’m going to get over there and I’m itching, and I see we lose and I want to get back out there,” Williams said. “So they didn’t want to say ‘the whole season’ and then me play again.
“But I’ll probably play. Pretty soon,” Williams said. “I’m going to give it one more try. Hopefully, I don’t hurt it again, which is hard to do, because everything’s so instinctive, with your hands and with your wrist.”
Wednesday is pretty soon. The Nets-Knicks game is the second game of a back-to-back after the Nets play host to Houston on Tuesday. Williams, who shot before the game yesterday — his first activity since re-injuring the wrist in Milwaukee nine nights ago — said a tail-end game makes more sense.
“It would probably be better to play the second of a back-to-back, instead of the first,” he said.
Wing Quinton Ross is done for the season, having suffered a herniated disk Friday in Orlando. “Unfortunately he has another disk situation,” Johnson said. “We’re going to confirm that when we get home, but based on preliminary discussions with Tim and our doctors, he’s out.”
The Nets are limping to the finish line. Sundiata Gaines is on crutches for the rest of the season. Damion James (sore right foot) missed his fourth straight game.