SAN ANTONIO – The Nets, being the Nets, were down 16 points in the fourth quarter. And, as has already been pointed out, these were the Nets so the game was over. But these are now the Nets of Deron Williams.
Don’t get your hopes up, they lost, 106-96 to the Spurs, here last night, hardly a disgrace as it was San Antonio’s 20th straight home victory. But they did not go quietly because Williams wouldn’t let them. They twice got within seven, no small feat, before succumbing.
“We played hard,” assessed Williams, who made his Nets debut in front of team owner Mikhail Prokhorov, who flew in from British Columbia. “Missed some shots and messed up a couple defensive assignments late in the game.”
Wait, maybe there is no change in the Nets. Nah, believe it. There is.
“It’s just great to have him on our team. Just the way he runs the ball club, his positive energy,” said Avery Johnson whose team showed a grit and toughness but eventually was done in by some familiar failings.
Missed shots. Poor perimeter defense as the Spurs knocked down eight 3-pointers, five of them in the decisive 35-18 third quarter. And there was some weak interior defense as the Spurs frolicked for 50 points in the paint.
“It could have easily been a 20-assist night with the shots that we missed,” sighed Johnson. “Wide, wide open.”
As it was, Williams had 12 assists plus 14 points on 5-of-13 shooting. And the spotty shooting all blamed on a sore wrist. Williams, late in the first quarter, tweaked an existing strained tendon – no, it’s not broken which is usual Nets luck. He injured the wrist three weeks ago and has been aggravating it off and on. Only rest will help. There wasn’t much of that – he played 41 minutes.
“I haven’t shot well since I injured my wrist,” assessed Williams, who underwent an MRI (it was negative) on the wrist as part of his trade physical. “I haven’t been confident in it but I keep tweaking it. I tweaked it at the All-Star Game and then I did it again (here).”
So as debuts go, this one wasn’t quite a show-stopper, wasn’t a “Melo Does the Garden” but it was what the Nets needed.
“He’s a winner,” said Kris Humphries (12 points), one of Williams’ favoriute targets in his debut game.
“It’s a different tempo. He draws so much attention. Everybody knows he’s playing the right way and going to find you,” said Anthony Morrow, who again came off the bench and scored a season high-tying 25 points.
So this was only one game — legend says the Nets (17-41) have lost before. And the Nets are looking to the future with an undeniably massive piece in place. But not even the two-time All-Star was enough to deter the Spurs (48-10), who got 26 points from Manu Ginobili and at least 17 from three others.
With Prokhorov in town, the Nets trotted out a completely new look lineup with Williams as the centerpiece. Humphries was back starting. Damion James started in his first action since breaking his foot Dec. 9. Sasha Vujacic was in for Morrow at two guard.
“We’re still getting accustomed to each other it’s going to take some time before we jell and mesh,” said Williams who admitted he had some fun with his new mates.
“I messed with the guys in the huddle when I brought them in and said, ‘Go Jazz,’” Williams offered.
As they get better and grow chemistry, Williams can say whatever he pleases.
“He’s a true point guard, that’s what I love about him,” praised Vujacic. “He can get guys going. He knows how to play basketball. The most important thing, he’s a winner. A killer and I just love it. I think it was an unbelievable steal for us.”