In today’s The Brooklyn Game Podcast with Ryan Ruocco, Ryan made note that one of the biggest differences in Deron Williams’s game from pre-to-post All-Star Break was something he called “Takeover Mode” — something D-Will rarely showed before the All-Star break this year with the Nets. In the fourth quarter against Chicago, he attacked with purpose. In the entire second half tonight, he did the same. In an awful, sad, terrible, no good, very bad victory, at least Deron Williams was none of these things.
Strugglesome shooting night — missed two open threes in succession, though he did look a bit more comfortable within the flow of the offense and hit three threes, helping offset an otherwise poor shooting night. Defensively? Not so much.
I’m sorry, who?
Scored a standard solid amount, but was most impressed by his defense — Lopez got involved off the ball attacking shooters and drivers, stayed down with hands up, got a huge late steal with under a minute left, and blocked more than his fair share. He should’ve dominated this weakened Bobcats front line far more than he did, though.
Red-hot first half, cooled off in the second, missed two free throws as his goodbye.
Not his best stretch.
It’d be hard for me to criticize him tonight, if only because Reggie Evans lost a tooth in the middle of the game and didn’t come out. It only sweetens the pot that he — and the rest of the team, really — played even better after the incident, including hitting two game-clinching free throws and putting up yet another 20-rebound night.
