The impact Paul Pierce and Kevin Garnett had on the fourth quarter of Saturday’s Game 1 victory over the Raptors was undeniable, as their combined 11 straight points late in the quarter sealed the Nets’ 94-87 victory.
But you could also credit them with a more subtle impact — specifically on Deron Williams’ 24-point outburst, in what was arguably the most aggressive performance Williams has had all season. Afterwards, Williams said he was inspired by his teammates to be more aggressive — a nod to the season-long encouragement he’s received from Pierce and Garnett.
“Just being a good teammate,” Garnett said of his role after Sunday’s practice at the team’s New Jersey facility. “That’s what we are, if I had to place anything or a label on this. I think [Deron], it’s kind of a fitting thing to say that he’s cool with his position. … He’s more comfortable, it seems like. When things get tough, he has a support system to let him know that it’s not the end of the world, and to not be so hard on himself.
“Deron’s biggest problem has been Deron. He’s very, very hard on himself, to the point where you have to pull him to the side and give him some real s—, say some real s— to him. When he comes out of that, he’s very hard, very, very hard to guard, very difficult to deal with, and we need him to be like that.”
It’s been a couple of uneven seasons for Williams in Brooklyn as he’s dealt with what seems to be a never-ending series of injuries, specifically to both ankles, that have resulted in him receiving a series of cortisone shots and two separate rounds of platelet rich plasma treatment.
Those struggles have understandably frustrated Williams, and led him to admit he has gotten down on himself at times. That’s where both Garnett and Pierce come in. Since they became Nets last summer both have gone out of their way to try and keep Williams as positive as possible about himself and his game.
“That’s how they’re built,” coach Jason Kidd said. “They’re about team-first. Sometimes that is overlooked, but they worry about their teammates and their well-being, mentally and physically.
“When you have those types of guys in the locker room, it helps. They’re not going to let Deron or Joe or whoever get down on themselves, because they have support and it’s about team, and it’s why we won. That’s what it’s all about.”
Even more than what the two aging icons bring to the court as players, it’s these behind-the-scenes components — the confidence in themselves and their teammates, the swagger about what they can accomplish — that represent the biggest change between this year’s version of the Nets and the team that lost on its home floor to the injury-riddled Bulls in Game 7 last season.
“That’s a huge plus when you have guys with championship experience and have been down this road many times,” Williams said. “They’ve logged a lot of playoff minutes, and it’s been beneficial in the locker room, on the court, in game, end of games, all situations. … It’s helped in every area.”
With three more wins against Toronto, Garnett and Pierce will have helped the Nets advance another round deeper into the postseason, and another step closer to their ultimate goal.