Deron Williams was sitting in the Nets locker room before yesterday’s preseason game with the Knicks at the Prudential Center — talking about boxing and mixed martial arts and how much of those sports he missed while playing in Turkey during the lockout.
“I didn’t see much of anything,” he said. “I got used to not watching TV there.”
Getting back to the simple routines has been far from routine for the Nets and Knicks, who are trying to find some normalcy in the current chaos of the NBA. The regular season starts in a week, and Nets coach Avery Johnson isn’t sure whether he will be getting any added gifts for Christmas.
Certainly, Williams will be the Nets point guard. But will Brook Lopez remain their center or could someone named Dwight Howard take residence in New Jersey, completely altering the course of the franchise?
“Until any more pieces are added, this is the team we have to go into the season with,” Johnson said.
The Knicks are more settled, having acquired center Tyson Chandler to join Amar’e Stoudemire and Carmelo Anthony to form a frontcourt that has coach Mike D’Antoni talking about winning a championship. But Chris Paul’s trade to the Clippers left the Knicks without the proven point guard they coveted, leaving the job to third-year player Toney Douglas.
A defensive specialist and streaky shooter during his first two years with the Knicks, Douglas is now being asked to operate D’Antoni’s run-and-gun offense and satisfy the scoring thirsts of Anthony and Stoudemire.
Yesterday’s preseason game — “a glorified practice,” D’Antoni called it — offered Douglas an early test against one of the game’s best: Williams. Talent-wise there is little comparison. Williams is a two-time All-Star who plays with an ease and rhythm that makes you expect brilliance. Douglas is a stress test, a herky-jerky, streak shooter, who makes plays-and mistakes — with his hustle.
Douglas is far from the classic point guard. During yesterday’s game he dribbled the ball off his foot and was called for carrying the ball. He is a work in progress, which is why the Knicks got veteran Mike Bibby to be his backup and will explore signing Baron Davis.
Douglas scored five points and had five assists in the Knicks’ 92-83 win, while Bibby had five points and three assists. They drew mixed reviews from D’Antoni.
“I thought they struggled a little early,” the coach said. “Their eyes were a little in headlights, but they’ll be fine. It’s early in the preseason and I don’t think they had their pop today.”
What Douglas and Williams (nine points, six assists) have in common is each has a burden to carry during the 66-game sprint that begins Christmas Day for the Knicks against the Celtics and the day after at Washington for the Nets. Douglas has to prove he can handle a position he inherited, while Williams must be the face of franchise he may wind up leaving.
For now Williams is playing the part of the good soldier, saying all the right things, while waiting to see if Howard can be lured from Orlando to offer some help. Douglas, meanwhile, is trying to be all the Knicks hope he can be even though his ideal role would be coming off the bench to provide instant energy.
“I’m know that Melo and Amar’e are our offense and to get them the ball,” Douglas said. “At the same time, they’re going to draw a lot of double teams. I just have to make sure to get them the ball where they want the ball.”
As for the Nets, deep down Johnson is hoping they can somehow land Howard. It would give him the league’s best center and enhance his chances of keeping Williams. Ultimately, both teams are hoping to find some normalcy in this season of chaos.