Expect another minutes restriction for Deron Williams tonight

Deron Williams

Deron WilliamsThe Brooklyn Nets aren’t going to rush point guard Deron Williams back to full capacity just yet, not even for the team’s marquee matchup against the Miami Heat.

On WFAN radio yesterday, Nets general manager Billy King told Joe Benigno & Evan Roberts that Williams’s minutes restriction would be lifted on Sunday at the earliest, meaning that the Nets will watch Williams closely once again tonight as he nurses his injured right ankle back to health.

According to Rod Boone of Newsday, coach Jason Kidd put Williams’s minutes restriction at around 26 minutes tonight.

Williams played 22 minutes in Wednesday’s season opener against the Cleveland Cavaliers, using up his minutes early due to early foul trouble from backup Shaun Livingston. Livingston played well with the starting lineup for the majority of preseason as Williams sat out, and his ability mitigates the time when Williams sits out. He’ll have to stay out of foul trouble tonight.