Here are three thoughts on the Nets' 114-105 win over the Lakers Friday night in Los Angeles:
1. Where has this Deron Williams been?
The way Williams played against the Lakers Friday, attacking over and over throughout the game, was far different than anything that he'd done over the previous few months of the season, and it showed as Williams finished with 12 points and 15 assists in leading the Nets to a win.
As I wrote in my game story, Thursday's trade deadline seemed to mark the end of the Deron Williams Era in Brooklyn, given how close the Nets came to trading for Reggie Jackson prior to Thursday's trade deadline.
But that trade didn't come to fruition, and instead the Nets found themselves once again with the same core of Deron Williams, Joe Johnson and Brook Lopez moving forward. If Williams keeps playing the way he did against the Lakers, though – a huge if, given that the Nets were playing the Lakers, a truly terrible team – that might be enough to get the Nets into the playoffs.
2. The Nets got their first look at Thaddeus Young Friday night, and it was a positive one. There was no question that adding Young was going to be a positive for the Nets, given how little actual production they were getting from Kevin Garnett, and how much this team needed a boost of athleticism in general.
Young did all of the things that you would've expected him to do: he grabbed some rebounds, got a few easy baskets, used his athleticism at both ends and got out and ran the floor. The fact he did all of that in 12 minutes is a positive sign for what he can contribute to the Nets moving forward.
The big question remaining now is how much time it will take Young to get himself acclimated enough to slide into the starting lineup. After only playing 12 minutes against the Lakers, a weekend of getting used to his surroundings and getting in a full practice and shootaround prior to Monday's game in Denver should allow him to get back up to speed.
3. Even more important than Williams getting himself right again is Joe Johnson staying healthy. After spending the final few weeks before the All-Star Break struggling through tendinitis in his knee, as well as an ankle issue, Johnson looked terrific in this one, finishing with 23 points on 11 shots.
If Johnson can stay healthy, that'll give the Nets a dimension on the wings that, for most of the season, they haven't had. With the unfortunate news about Chris Bosh being ruled out for the season because of blood clots in his lungs – much like Mirza Teletovic was weeks earlier for the Nets – there are still two open playoff spots in the Eastern Conference, and Johnson can help lead the Nets there if he's healthy and fully ready to go.
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