February 4, 2012

Brook Offers an Update

After the game, before Deron Williams and Anthony Morrow were done showering, Nets center Brook Lopez entered the locker room and checked in with the assembled media. Here's the Q&A::

What's new with your rehab?

Brook Lopez: Today, I got some jump rope in, running, shooting, box jumps. That's about all that was new. We're going to start working on some lateral movement like slides sometime soon.

Does that feel like progress?

Brook Lopez: Yeah. I had no idea how excited I would be to jump rope.

You were excited to jog last week …

Brook Lopez: Yeah, it's been fun. My spirits are definitely high.

Are you feeling comfortable with the foot yet?

Brook Lopez: I think through the whole process I've felt that way. There hasn't really been a moment where I've been hesitant or worried about it.

What's the next … step?

Brook Lopez: I think lateral movement, some pivoting and more jumping. We're trying to do the minimum right now, as opposed to the maximum. Do the minimum, see if it's sore after that; if it's sore after that, we know to pull back. If I was doing a lot, it could be anywhere in those reps that it hurt. But since I'm doing very little, we know that it could be a certain motion.

You got a date for us or what?

Brook Lopez: I just took a little pocket schedule to Timmy (Walsh, the team's athletic trainer) and told him to point to a game. He folded it up and put it in his pocket.

--Posted by Ben Couch at 11:55 p.m.

February 3, 2012

The Foundation of Suited Style

As better-fitting online men's apparel brand Bonobos prepared to launch their new Foundation Suit Collection, they sought a partnership that would provide them with a spokesman whose subtle, classical style matched their own. Finding that in Nets guard Deron Williams, Bonobos debuted the partnership with an interactive cocktail party at Catch Roof in New York City's Meatpacking District.

Williams, nattily attired in a single-breasted grey suit, with a light blue shirt and diagonally-striped, light-blue-and-purple tie, posed for cameras and then spoke with NJNets.com about the partnership:

NJNets.com: Bonobos says they picked you because you're 'subtle and classical, just like them.' Why did you pick Bonobos?

Deron Williams: It's really similar. Somebody from my agency, they had some Bonobos pieces at the agency, one of the first days I got back from Istanbul, and I was looking at it like, 'I like this.' And they told me the Web site (www.bonobos.com), and I went on and looked at some of the stuff and said, 'This is my style. I think this could be a good opportunity, a good partnership.' We reached out to them and it developed from there. I liked the clothes, I liked the fit. It's just really classic-looking suits, nothing crazy. And I just add my own little flavor, a little color, just to make it 'pop.'

NJNets.com: Word on the street is you get that 'pop' with purple …

Deron Williams: I really like purple, I don't know why. A lot of guys shy away from it, but I like it, I think it looks good, especially with greys and browns. I try to mix it up.

NJNets.com: No doubt. And they're doing an online pop-up to benefit your foundation, Point of Hope?

Deron Williams: I think that was a big deal for me. When I look at partnerships, I try to incorporate my foundation as much as possible. It was really important to them, as well. We both like to help children in need with our foundations and our philanthropy, and the pop-up store is going to be a good way to do that. Part of the proceeds are going to go to my foundation; I'm really excited about that.

NJNets.com: Bonobos attempts to offer a 'made-to-measure feel available off the rack,' particularly for athletes and former athletes. Have you found that to be true?

Deron Williams: Yeah, I think so. It's really hard for a lot of athletes to go out and buy suits off of the rack, whether their arms are too long, their shoulders are too big. I really stepped into this suit and could wear it right off the rack. I really liked that. And they're really good looking suits, good material and I'm loving wearing them.

NJNets.com: You know there's a rumor going around that you might be designing some pants?

Deron Williams: [Laughs] They told you about that? That's how Bonobos started, was with their pants, and they have some crazy ideas, something that's a little different, but not too wild. They do have some wild stuff. But I'm going to try and design my own piece, and hopefully they'll put that in the store. I was joking with them about a lot of people messing up their name: 'BON-a-bose.' And I'm 'duh-RON' Hopefully together, at some point, we can get it right.

--Posted by Ben Couch at 11:20 a.m.

February 1, 2012

Bogans Signs, Comes Up Big

Keith Bogans was at home in Orlando two days ago, a free agent awaiting a call. By Tuesday, he was working out in East Rutherford; by Wednesday, playing in the final minute of a Nets victory at Prudential Center.

A veritable Goldberg reaction of injuries and roster shuffle left the Nets without a backup swingman, and veteran guard Bogans – who last season started every game for the Bulls, regular season and playoffs included – had yet to join a team in this lockout-shortened season. Nets coach Avery Johnson said the team was looking for a veteran presence who could provide defense and easily fit into the rotation.

"I've been going crazy," Bogans admitted, pregame. "It's good to be back on the court, be a Net, play some basketball. I haven't played since the Eastern Conference Finals last year. I've been working out every day, but you can't get in basketball shape unless you play, so we'll just have to see when I get out there."

Bogans got out there halfway through the first quarter and immediately slipped into the flow of the game, bodying Pistons forward Tayshaun Prince and denying him the ball. From there, he went on to surpass Johnson's pregame prediction of 12 minutes, playing 17 and finishing with two points and a rebound. The two points came in crunch time, when Bogans flashed through the lane, took a pass from Deron Williams and dropped it in while being fouled. Though he missed the free throw, the bucket gave them a six-point lead with 1 minute, 17 seconds to play.

"(Keith) came in and had a big bucket for us," Johnson said. "We haven't had a cut like that to the basket, Deron and I were laughing about it, we haven't had a cut like that to the basket all year and he made a big bucket for us."

Bogans was glad to come away with a win, just two days after getting the first call to come work out. The terminology might be different, but the instincts are starting to kick in.

"I felt my wind was there," Bogans said. "Legs felt a little shaky, but it felt good to be out there. It's going to take a minute for me to get in basketball shape, there was a lot thrown at me, played like 15 minutes, I was trying to learn plays, but it was fun. I had fun playing out there."

The 'Great 8'
Postgame, Deron Williams offered a great anecdote about the depleted bench coming up big:

"We had to, otherwise we're not going to win. We only had eight people. We got out before the game, I went to the huddle, our little huddle, and I was like, 'Where's everybody at?' They were like, 'This is it.' It's kind of hard to do layups before the game with eight people. You get tired, cause it's just like, going around and around. But, you know, hopefully we get some guys back here soon. They've got the next two days to try to recover and then we got two more (games)."

--Posted by Ben Couch at 11:26 p.m.

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