November 23rd, 2009

Sean's Swats Help Defense

Late in the third quarter of Saturday's game against the Knicks, Sean Williams guarded Eddy Curry as the 7-footer caught an entry pass on the right block. Curry, known for his low-post prowess, put a drop-step spin move on Williams and went up for a short push shot.

Williams hadn't gone anywhere except up, and swatted the ball out of bounds, his second block of the game. The Nets' big added another in the fourth, rising impossibly high to send back a Larry Hughes floater at its apex. Williams finished with three blocks in 16 minutes against the Knicks, also grabbing five rebounds before fouling out.

Along with Brook Lopez (league-leading 2.7 blocks), the 6-foot-10, 235-pound Williams has helped the Nets turn back at least five shots in each of the last five games.

"To me, the one big guy that stands out amongst all of them is Sean," said Nets head coach Lawrence Frank. "Sean, four of the last five games, has played with tremendous energy and effort. He has impacted the game in a very positive way. That’s why stats sometimes are misleading. His line was 0-for-5 against New York, yet he had such a positive impact."

Frank built his case by praising Williams for doing his work early on the defensive end by fronting the usually bigger centers he faces, offering weakside help – whether by a block or drawing a charge, and also setting effective screens (word to Nets Are Scorching) and rolling hard to the rim. Williams humbly says that he's only trying to accomplish whatever's best for the team, whether that means helping guards penetrate in pick-and-roll play or providing a defensive presence.

This stretch, his best of the season, has thus far been highlighted by his 15-minute performance against the Miami Heat a week ago, when Williams racked up 12 points, four rebounds (two offensive) and a block. That block was something spectacular – with the Nets ahead by three, Miami swung the ball to an Michael Beasley in the right corner.

Set up for an open, game-tying three, Beasley let fly only to have the ball redirected when Williams flew at him with an outstretched arm. Williams nearly corralled the tip, but was positioned with his foot on the line, and the Heat got a second chance, Quentin Richardson converting a banked three he chucked up with the shot clock running down. That type of luck exemplifies the Nets' early season struggles, but it's infinitely lesser a possibility than the corner three, and Williams wiped out the chance of Beasley's shot connecting. A block like that results from extraordinary athleticism combining with an instinctual reaction.

"It’s more of a feeling," Williams said. "Just feeling where the ball’s going to be at and what the offense is going to do. To block shots, you’ve got to be a step ahead of the play, and that’s something I’m trying to work on. The defense has to be a step ahead of the offense. That’s all."

For most of this season, the Nets' defense has been just that, ranking 13th or better in the major defensive categories. They allow 95.1 points (10th), .333 three-point shooting (13th), .445 overall (12th) and a 101.8 efficiency (13th). It will get a stiff test in its next contest, Tuesday's 9pm meeting with the Denver Nuggets, who beat them 122-94 on November 4.

The Nuggets' offense ranks among the league's best, averaging 107.9 points (110.0 efficiency) on .475 shooting (.354 3P%) with 38 baskets coming on 21 assists. Led by Carmelo Anthony (30.5 PPG, 6.5 RPG, .479 FG%) and Chauncey Billups (16.4 PPG, 5.9 APG), the Nuggets are athletic and deep, giving nine players more than 17 minutes per game.

J.R. Smith has returned from a suspension to average 16.7 points in only 27.3 minutes off the bench (six games), a number boosted by 2.3 threes per game. And Ty Lawson (9.8 PPG, 3.1 APG, 21.5 MPG) gave the Nets a handful in the teams' previous meeting, racking up 23 points. But it's their spry big men – Nene, Kenyon Martin and Chris Andersen – who could pose problems for the Nets thin, undersized power rotation, especially since Lopez rolled his ankle in practice today.

The Nets' center had been contesting Tony Battie's shot, only to come down on someone's foot and ending his practice. X-rays weren't necessary, and Lopez downplayed the injury as minor ("Trust me, watching film hurt more") while acknowledging that he'd listen to athletic trainer Tim Walsh if told to sit.

"Yeah, you know, that’s obviously rough," Lopez said. "I’ll be out there. Hopefully I’ll be playing – I’m sure it’s nothing. I'll just be playing as if nothing happened, and hopefully that adrenaline will shoot in and everything will be all right."

One of his teammates will likely be returning: guard Courtney Lee is expected to come off the bench in what should be his first game since straining his groin against the 76ers on November 6th. Lee practiced fully, taking contact and running 5-on-5, as did point guard Devin Harris.

The latter reported no adverse effects from playing in Saturday's game, though Harris acknowledged Denver's thin air and the looming Wednesday game in Portland meant he'd likely be easing in yet again against the Nuggets. With the team 0-13, there's pressure to be a "savior," but Harris has blocked it out best he can.

"It’s there whether you think about it or not," Harris said. "It's hard to come back here and not try to do everything on your own. But those guys that we’ve had have done a great job. I’m just trying to come in and move the ball in those spare minutes that I get, just trying to read the situation and figure out how to attack it. I try to come in and get those guys going. CDR is our main scorer so far, so my job is to make sure he keeps going and play off him."

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Lopez Feeling Fine in the Funny Bone
Did Brook Lopez undertake any special preparation to combat the high-altitude?

"I’ve done nothing – I’m going to hit a big wall," he cracked, smiling.

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Franks' Focus on Team
Coach Frank hears the whispers, and has this to say:

"I know I’ve gotta produce," Frank said. "I take full responsibility. I’m not hiding anywhere. I say, ‘Hey, bring it on. Put it on me.’ We embrace this as a coaching staff and as a team as a big challenge. We’re here to serve our guys, they’re working their tails off and now we just need to get better. I’m not absolving myself from anything – that record is indicative of where we’re at, how I’m coaching and we need to do better."