Nets Starting Five 10/14/13
[box] ESPN – ABlatche, Teletovic in Sunday scuffle
“It’s great. That’s competition. That’s what it’s all about,” Nets coach Jason Kidd said. “This team is put together to compete at a high level, and you saw that. There’s nothing wrong with competition. Tempers might flare, but it’s all out of respect, because we’re all working hard, and as a coaching staff and as players, that’s what you need.”
Said onlooker Deron Williams: “It’s normal. It happens every year, 10 times a year, if that. It’s definitely competitive, guys are bumping and banging down there. You’re liable to have a couple of those.”
Williams called it a “typical NBA fight.”[/box]
[box]NYPOST– Kidd: Chance Deron Williams misses opener
“He’s day-by-day,” Kidd said before the Nets’ 99-88 loss to the Pistons in Brooklyn. “With Deron, he’ll get some work in [Saturday], he’s going to the court now and we’ll see how he feels tomorrow after the workout.
“Again, this is going to be a question that we’re probably going to have to deal with every day until he does get the green light to go, but we’re not rushing him. So if we have to start the season with him still trying to get better, I think we all feel comfortable, but we would feel a little bit more comfortable if he was starting.”[/box]
[box]NEWSDAY – Nets check depth while awaiting Deron Williams, Jason Terry
“He’s going to be the engine that’s going to drive this team at both ends of the court before we could really see how we’re going to reach our full potential,” Pierce said. “So you know, it’s up to us with the guys that we have out there to continue to get better, to continue to understand what we’re trying to accomplish each and every night.”
“Stuff like that takes time. I don’t like the fact that we are giving up a lot of turnovers. That comes through a test of continuity. I think the better we know each other, some of those turnovers will obviously come down. But those are signs your team is getting better.”[/box]
[box]NY DAILYNEWS – Paul Pierce, Kevin Garnett bring new atmosphere to Nets
Boston is the dominant gene, it turns out. Brooklyn is recessive. Kevin Garnett is now the foremost presence on the floor and in the locker room, at least during practices. If he talked a little more to the media, he might even be the team spokesman.
“There are certain guys they come to a team and there are no questions about any of it,” said Maurice Cheeks, the Pistons coach, before the reserve-filled exhibition. “Garnett and Pierce are those kind of players. They come in with credentials. They can only make a team better. Everyone knows it.”[/box]
[box]YAHOO – Brooklyn Nets: Why Brook Lopez Will Have Big Year
Aside from his health, I believe Lopez is bound for a big year this season because of the talent around him. Just think about it — Lopez dominated in the paint last season and shot better than 50 percent from the floor and now has future Hall of Famers Paul Pierce and Kevin Garnett to share the court with, not to mention the presence of Deron Williams and Joe Johnson.
With so many offensive weapons, the Nets as a whole will be difficult to contain, but Lopez, especially. Williams, Johnson, Pierce and Garnett will all draw attention from opposing defenders, and I see a lot of easy pick-and-roll scores in Lopez’s future.[/box]