DURHAM, N.C. — After spending the past several days away from the hustle and bustle of the New York metropolitan area for training camp, the Nets wrapped up their five-day excursion to Duke University on Saturday happy to have made the trip.
“As a player, I probably never went through five days, but as a coach, it was good,” coach Jason Kidd said. “We threw a lot at them early, concept wise, and then the last couple days we’ve been able to get up and down and play a little bit to see how guys would respond.
“But, again, guys fought through the fatigue for five days straight, and you have to compliment those guys for coming to work.”
Instead of spending the week at home working out at the practice facility, including splitting up each night to head home to their families, the Nets spent the week getting a chance to know one another, something that was beneficial to a group featuring several key new players like Paul Pierce, Kevin Garnett and Andrei Kirilenko.
“There’s definitely some benefits [to going away],” Pierce said. “You get a chance to hang out with the guys. When you go back to the hotel, you all eat together. … When we’re at the practice facility everybody goes home to their families, and that’s about it.
“This gives us a chance to try and build some camaraderie with each other. When we go to the hotel we hang out, we talk, we eat together, play cards and what not, and get to know one another.”
Deron Williams also enjoyed the trip, although he admitted he wouldn’t mind if instead of heading to Duke next year, the Nets copy what the defending champion Heat did this preseason — train in the Bahamas.
“I thought it was good for us this year,” Williams said with a smile, “[but] maybe we can go, like Miami, to somewhere a little more exotic next time.”
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As part of their team bonding this week, the Nets’ players, coaches and staff went to a private screening of “Captain Phillips,” the movie starring Tom Hanks that is set to premiere this Friday in theatres around the country.
Williams, who had promised Friday he would give a review of the movie after Saturday’s practice, gave it 3 ¹/₂ stars.
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The Nets’ injury report remained the same following Saturday’s practice, with Williams (sprained right ankle) and Jason Terry (offseason left knee surgery) still limited, while Tornike Shengelia (offseason left knee surgery) remained out.