DERON WILLIAMS EXPLOSION: Nets 95, Wizards 78 (Game Grades)

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Deron Williams POINT GUARD

DERON WILLIAMS TURNS WATER INTO BOURBON. DERON WILLIAMS HIT SIX THREES IN FIVE MINUTES AND ALL SEVEN OF HIS THREES IN THE FIRST QUARTER. DERON WILLIAMS SET AN NBA RECORD WITH NINE THREES IN ONE HALF AND FINISHED THE FIRST HALF WITH AS MANY POINTS AS THE ENTIRE OPPOSING TEAM. DERON WILLIAMS BOUGHT EVERY AVAILABLE CAR FROM BAY RIDGE HONDA AND UPSOLD THEM AT TWICE THE PRICE ONLY TO DONATE THE MONEY TO THE MEMPHIS BLEEK FOUNDATION SO BLEEK DIDN’T HAVE TO BE THE BROOKLYKNIGHT ANYMORE. DERON WILLIAMS MISSED TYING AN NBA FULL-GAME RECORD BY ONE THREE-POINTER TONIGHT. THANK YOU BASED DERON.

Joe Johnson SHOOTING GUARD

I know everyone’s going to look quiet in comparison to a record-setting Deron Williams, but he looked a little too quiet.

Brook Lopez CENTER

Had a nice slam off a D-Will feed in the fourth quarter, and though he was in foul trouble, I really liked the way he patrolled the lane. Didn’t give up many easy looks.

Keith Bogans SHOOTING GUARD

Role Star Hip Hop was Pedestrian Role Alt Rock tonight. Some nice plays, though.

MarShon Brooks SHOOTING GUARD

You could, as always, see the talent. But some questionable and late decision-making holds him back.

Reggie Evans POWER FORWARD

For the second straight game, we got a good Reggie game: even in some spotty moments in the third quarter when he turned the offense into a skidding mess, Evans controlled the glass to the tune of a career-high 24 rebounds, and even scored in the post a few times with, dare I say, some post moves!?

The Wizards went to Hack-A-Reggie down the stretch, he missed two free throws, in a row, and then something amazing happened: the crowd cheered for him. And got louder. And louder. And started chanting his name. And after he missed something like four more, Reggie hit back-to-back free throws. And the place went nuts. They cheered louder for Reggie hitting those two free throws than any of Deron’s threes. It was bonkers. They gave him a standing ovation at every free throw, then another one as he left the game. They changed “REG-GIE! REG-GIE!” for a full minute, then after he left the game, chanted “WE WANT REG-GIE!”

Evans has gotten a lot of flack, both here and elsewhere, for his limitations. But that’s the role he’s intended for: the fourth man that you shouldn’t notice unless he’s grabbing rebounds or doing something silly that the crowd can get behind. That’s what he was tonight. And I’m glad I got to witness it.

Mirza Teletovic POWER FORWARD

Woof shooting. Not necessarily bad shots — just rimming in and out.