Tag: Deron Williams

James Harden did something no Net has since 2011

James Harden is doing a little bit of everything for the Brooklyn Nets night-in and night-out.

Oddly enough, James Harden wasn’t among Brooklyn’s top three scorers in the win over the Miami Heat on Saturday. With Joe Harris scoring 23 points and Jeff Green finishing in double-figures again (11), Harden was on track to be the Nets’ No. 5 scorer against the Heat until he made one last trip to the free-throw line in the closing seconds of the 128-124 win to finish with 12 points.

While Harden’s scoring has taken a hit since Kyrie Irving’s return, the newest Net is finding other ways to stuff the stat sheet — even though he’s said on multiple occasions he’s not worried about his numbers. The guard also finished with 11 assists and nearly logged another triple-double, grabbing seven rebounds.

With his 12-point, 11-rebound performance, Harden became the first Nets player to record points-assists double-double in five straight games since Deron Williams did so in the 2010-11 season.

This post originally appeared on NetsWire. Follow us on Facebook and Twitter!

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Caris LeVert joins elite company with Game 2 performance vs. Raptors

Caris LeVert once again finds his name side-by-side with the greatest Net of all time, Jason Kidd.

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Although Brooklyn couldn’t pull off the win in Game 2 against the Toronto Raptors on Wednesday, multiple Nets managed to stuff the stat sheet in the 104-99 loss.

While Garrett Temple led the Nets in scoring with 21 points, three of his Brooklyn teammates — Joe Harris, Jarrett Allen and Caris LeVert — logged double-doubles.

Not only did Joe Harris and Jarrett Allen both finish with double-doubles, but they also finished with the same number of points (14) and rebounds (15) as one another.

LeVert achieved his double-double by complimenting his 16-point night with 11 assists. He also had a double-double in Brooklyn’s Game 1 loss on Monday, joining some elite company in the process.

By logging another double-double on Wednesday, LeVert once again finds himself among a small number of players who’ve worn a Nets uniform.

LeVert is only the fourth Nets player to ever log a double-double in consecutive playoff games. Michael Ray Richardson, Jason Kidd and Deron Williams are the only others who have also done so.

RELATED: Only one other Net has ever done what Caris LeVert did in Game 1

Joe Harris passes Deron Williams on list for points scored in a Brooklyn uniform

Joe Harris continues to pack a punch on the offensive end down in the Disney World bubble, reaching milestones in the process.

Joe Harris is in a groove right now and continues to reach milestones as a result.

Brooklyn’s sharpshooter scored 16 points in the Nets’ 45-point first quarter on Sunday. In the process, he accomplished three things.

By nailing a 3-pointer, Harris took another step toward D’Angelo Russell’s franchise record of 61 games in-a-row with a made 3-pointer. He’s now at 59 games.

Harris also entered the game with 3,269 points scored in a Brooklyn uniform, so he only needed seven points to pass Deron Williams (3,275 points) for fourth-most points scored in a Brooklyn uniform (since 2012-13) — he did so easily in the first. Harris now only trails Spencer Dinwiddie (3,900), Joe Johnson (4,240) and Brook Lopez (6,065).

Last but not least, Harris went 4-for-4 from deep in the first quarter. With that fourth 3-pointer, the sharpshooter passed Williams in another category: most threes made in a single season by a Nets player. Williams’ 2012-13 total (169) was fourth-most all-time.

Harris also has the mark for third-most 3-pointers made in a single season by a Nets player. (183 in 2018-19).

Deron Williams’ deal with Nets finally comes to a close

Deron Williams hasn’t suited up for the Brooklyn Nets since the 2014-15 season, yet the franchise has still been paying him for years.

Deron Williams joined the New Jersey Nets in the middle of the 2010-11 NBA season, was part of the franchise’s move to Brooklyn and played his last game for the organization on May 1, 2015, when the team was eliminated from the 2015 playoffs in by the Atlanta Hawks in the first round (4-2).

Williams went on to play for the Dallas Mavericks and Cleveland Cavaliers over the next two seasons before his NBA career ended with the conclusion of the 2016-17 season.

Even though the three-time All-Star point guard’s run with the Nets has long been over, Brooklyn has still been cutting Williams checks.

But that all ends now.

As Anthony Puccio of Nets Daily pointed out on Twitter, Williams’ contract with the Nets comes to an end on Tuesday.

Given the Nets owed Williams $5.5 million, Brooklyn has paid Williams $9,900 per day over the last five years, according to Darren Rovell of the Action Network.

RELATED: Brooklyn Nets player salaries for 2019-20, future seasons

Today in Nets history: Paul Pierce blocks Kyle Lowry to win series

The Brooklyn Nets narrowly got past the Toronto Raptors in the first round of the 2014 NBA Playoffs.

With the NBA on hiatus and New York continuing its battle against the novel coronavirus outbreak, Brooklyn Nets games will not be played for the foreseeable future.

For the Nets, as much as any team, this comes at an odd time — Brooklyn was battling the Orlando Magic for the seventh spot in the Eastern Conference standings. At the stoppage of play, the Nets had a half-game advantage over the Magic.

Since there aren’t any games, each day Nets Wire will highlight impressive individual performances and major moments throughout Nets history:

After falling behind 3-2 in the first round of the 2014 NBA Playoffs, the Brooklyn Nets managed to force a Game 7 against the Toronto Raptors on May 4. The final matchup went down to the wire as the Raptors had a chance to win the series on the final possession with Brooklyn holding a 104-103 advantage.

But as Kyle Lowry drove to the basket, Paul Pierce played rim protector to give the Nets’ the big win (full box score).

Pierce also finished with 10 points, though it was Joe Johnson who led the Nets with 26 points along with Marcus Thornton (17).

Deron Williams (13 points) and Shaun Livingston (10) also finished in double figures, as did Kevin Garnett in both points (12) and rebounds (11).

Today in Nets history: LeBron James, Heat swept by Brooklyn

Up until April 8, 2014, no NBA team had swept LeBron James and Dwyane Wade’s Miami Heat in a single season.

With the NBA on hiatus and New York continuing its battle against the novel coronavirus outbreak, Brooklyn Nets games will not be played for the foreseeable future.

For the Nets, as much as any team, this comes at an odd time — Brooklyn was battling the Orlando Magic for the seventh spot in the Eastern Conference standings. At the stoppage of play, the Nets had a half-game advantage over the Magic.

Since there aren’t any games, each day Nets Wire will highlight impressive individual performances and major moments throughout Nets history:

LeBron James started his Miami Heat career in 2010-11. Through his first three seasons on South Beach, not one team swept James’ Heat in a four-game season series.

It wasn’t until April 8, 2014, that the Brooklyn Nets accomplished the feat, winning 88-87 in Miami (full box score).

Joe Johnson led the Nets with 19 points, while Marcus Thornton scored 14 off the bench and Paul Pierce scored 14.

Brooklyn’s starting lineup in the win was Johnson, Pierce, Deron Williams, Mason Plumlee and Shaun Livingston.

RELATED: Ranking the top five point guards in Nets history

Ranking the top five point guards in Nets history

A lot of impressive point guards have played for the Nets over the years. But which were the best? Kyrie? Kidd? Dinwiddie? D-Lo? Starbury?

Whether in Brooklyn or New Jersey, the Nets franchise has had quite a few impressive point guards in the organization. Even now with the 2019-20 team, the Nets have two talented point guards in Spencer Dinwiddie and Kyrie Irving.

If he plays his cards right, Irving could go down as the best point guard in Nets history by the time his career comes to a close. But do he and Dinwiddie crack the franchise’s list of top 5 point guards right now?  Nets Wire examined the point guards to wear a Brooklyn or New Jersey uniform through the years and selected the five best:

5. D’Angelo Russell

Credit: Eric Hartline – USA TODAY Sports
Nets Stats: 19 PPG | 6.3 APG | 1.1 SPG

D-Lo’s time here was brief, but there aren’t many players who can say they played a pivotal role in helping an organization change direction from one year to the next. And as much as Kyrie Irving is viewed as an upgrade in talent, the 2019 NBA All-Star’s departure from Brooklyn was not an easy pill for fans to swallow.

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Today in Nets history: Deron Williams ties career-high in assists

During his first season in New Jersey, Deron Williams surpassed the 20-assist mark in a game — something few Nets have accomplished.

With the NBA on hiatus and New York continuing its battle against the novel coronavirus outbreak, Brooklyn Nets games will not be played for the foreseeable future.

For the Nets, as much as any team, this comes at an odd time — Brooklyn was battling the Orlando Magic for the seventh spot in the Eastern Conference standings. At the stoppage of play, the Nets had a half-game advantage over the Magic.

Since there aren’t any games, each day Nets Wire will highlight impressive individual performances and major moments throughout Nets history:

During his time in Utah, Deron Williams dished out 20 assists in a game four times. He even managed to creep over the mark once in 2007 to set his career-high at 21.

When the Jazz traded Williams to New Jersey in the middle of the 2010-11 season, he was stuffing the stat sheet — when he was available to play for the Nets.

One of Williams’ best performances came on April 5 with the Timberwolves in town. On top of hitting the game-winning jumper with 1.7 seconds left on the clock to finished with 18 points, the Nets point guard dished out 21 assists in New Jersey’s 107-105 win (full box score), tying his career-high.

Williams became the fourth player in Nets history to log 20 or more assists in a game, joining Kevin Porter (twice), Stephon Marbury and Robert Pack.

 

Porter was the first Nets player to reach the 20 assists mark, setting the then franchise record at 20, oddly enough, on April 5, 1978. He would break the record 20 days later when he dished out 29 assists.

In 2012, Williams would join Porter in being the only Nets to ever dish out 20 assists in two separate games.

RELATED: Joe and Clara Wu Tsai donate more ventilators to New York than initially thought

Snapshot: A look back at Deron Williams, the savvy playmaker

Deron Williams was a savvy playmaker who had a quality change-of-pace dribble.

Deron Williams had an ability to change pace that not only helped him burst past defenders, but also allowed his passing skills to be showcased.

A capable shooter, Williams was a savvy playmaker who could thrive in all areas of the floor, especially within the second level of an opposing defense. Whenever he created dribble penetration, he had good vision to find open teammates, but also enough quickness to drive to the hoop and score.

Williams played 12 NBA seasons and was a three-time All-Star. Some of his good years were with the New Jersey Nets, which moved to Brooklyn for the 2012-13 season. He was traded to the Nets from the Utah Jazz during the 2010-11 season, and at the time, he was one of the top point guards in the league.

He had dueled with fellow playmakers Steve Nash, Chris Paul and Rajon Rondo for the title of best floor general.

According to NBA.com stats, Williams, Paul, Nash and Rondo were each in the top five for assists per game during the 2010-11 season. Rondo ranked second behind Steve Nash averaging 11.2 assists, and Williams ranked third with 10.3 assists; Paul ranked fourth with 9.8 assists.

While with the Nets, Williams averaged 16.6 points per game, 7.5 assists and shot 35.8% from the 3-point line. He helped lead the Nets to the playoffs the first three seasons the franchise was in Brooklyn.

The farthest he went in the postseason with the Nets was in 2014, when Brooklyn lost in five games to the Miami Heat during the second round.

One of Williams’ best games ever came during his tenure with the Nets. On March 30, 2012, Williams tallied 20 assists — it was the sixth and final time he dished 20 or more assists in a game.

According to Basketball Reference, Williams has the third-most 20-plus assists games of the past 13 seasons. Rondo has the most with nine such games, and Nash ranks second on the list with seven.

The best season Williams had scoring-wise came during his time with the Nets, too. During the 2011-12 campaign, Williams scored a career-high 21.0 points per game and dished 8.7 assists. That season was the only time Williams ranked in the top 10 of the league for points per game.

In addition to Williams’ days with the Nets, his time with the Jazz was just as good. During his career with Utah, Williams averaged 17.3 points per game and 9.1 assists per game. After his first two seasons in the league, Williams reeled off four straight seasons of averaging a double-double.

He helped Utah go to the Western Conference Finals in 2007, when the franchise lost to the eventual champion San Antonio Spurs in five games.

Williams played for the Dallas Mavericks and Cleveland Cavaliers to end his career. He went to the NBA Finals with the Cavs in 2017, where he and the franchise lost in five games to the Golden State Warriors.

The change-of-pace dribble was Williams’ hallmark. As he blew past hapless defenders, he made plays that helped make his teammates better. He ended his career ringless, but at his peak Williams was a top-tier point guard.

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Today in Nets history: Deron Williams accomplishes something no Net has before

On March 30, 2012, Deron Williams became the first player in Nets franchise history to reach the 20-assist mark twice.

With the NBA on hiatus — which NBA commissioner Adam Silver set at 30 days — and New York’s governor, Andrew Cuomo, placing a ban on gatherings of more than 500 people for the foreseeable future due to the coronavirus outbreak in the United States, no Brooklyn Nets games will be played for the time being.

For the Nets, as much as any team, this comes at an odd time — Brooklyn was battling the Orlando Magic for the seventh spot in the Eastern Conference standings. At the stoppage of play, the Nets had a half-game advantage over the Magic.

Since there aren’t any games, each day Nets Wire will highlight major individual performances and key developments throughout Nets history:

Heading into New Jersey’s game against the Golden State Warriors on March 30, 2012, only four players in Nets history had dished out 20 or more assists in a single game: Robert Pack (22 in 1996), Deron Williams (21 in 2011), Stephon Marbury (20 in 1999) and Kevin Porter (20 in 1978).

A name would not be added to the list in the Nets’ 102-100 win over the Warriors (full box score). But, Williams would become the first Nets player to ever reach the 20-assists mark in a single game for a second time.

On top of his 20 assists, Williams also finished with nine points, two steals, two rebounds and a blocked shot.

Gerald Wallace had himself quite the game, as well. He scored 24 points and grabbed 18 rebounds to register a double-double. Wallace also had six steals and five assists.

Kris Humphries and Gerald Green each scored 20 apiece against a Warriors team that featured then-rookie guard Klay Thompson. Green’s last two baskets were the game-tying and game-winning shots.