Maybe the Nets just had to be shamed straight.
They ended 2013 in horrible fashion, suffering a 113-92 New Year’s Eve loss in San Antonio that saw them trail by 32 points and finish the calendar year 10-21. But since then they’ve gone 11-4 in 2014, and look like a different team.
“We were embarrassed. It was embarrassing,’’ said Deron Williams. “The switch came on, I guess.’’
It was the Spurs who took a switch to Brooklyn, thoroughly routing the Nets and wounding their pride. Those same Spurs come to Barclays Center Thursday night and will find a Nets team playing at a higher level.
“I don’t know what it was about losing to them right before the New Year,” Williams said. “We’ve just been a different team since then. Honestly, for whatever reason, don’t really care why or how, just that it happened.’’
They had what Joe Johnson called a tough practice the next day, and bounced back to upset Oklahoma City 95-93 on Jan. 2, thanks to his clutch buzzer-beater.
“After the San Antonio game we had a tough practice the next day, on New Year’s Day, which was definitely needed, and it helped,’’ said Johnson, who sees a different team now, a slower, meticulous halfcourt team with an identity. But San Antonio is never easy, with the Nets a horrid 1-20 in their last 21 regular-season games against the Spurs. They haven’t beaten San Antonio since March 2010.
“They’re like fine wine: They seem to get better with age. Even in my career with the Jazz, we had trouble beating them. They just play the right way, well-coached,’’ said Williams, winless against the Spurs since joining the Nets, but convinced his is a different team than it was on Dec. 31. “Definitely a different team. Hopefully we’re getting some guys back from injuries and it’ll be a different outcome.”
All eyes will be on what is potentially the last clash between enemies Kevin Garnett and San Antonio’s Tim Duncan. Both 37-year-olds have hinted at retiring at season’s end, and they have a long-standing feud delineated in a 2012 SI piece.
“[Garnett’s] one of those players you hate to play against and love to play with,’’ Williams said of Garnett, who has trash-talked Duncan, slapped him across the back of the head, and — reportedly — mockingly wished Duncan a Happy Mother’s Day as he got ready to take a free throw back in 1999. The latter’s mother had died of cancer when he was just 14.
Johnson praised both as leaders, but admitted they’re nothing alike personally.
“I’ve never been around Tim Duncan other than all-star games, but on the outside looking in, him and KGs personality I would say is like night and day,’’ said Johnson, who admits Garnett’s trash talk inspires not only his teammates but his foes as well. “As his teammate, yeah. But as an opponent playing against him you want to beat not only him but the team that he’s playing with.’’