DERON WILLIAMS PRACTICES

[box]YAHOO – Pierce, Garnett hope to lead Nets on title run

Now Pierce and Garnett play for the Brooklyn Nets, whose roster is even more accomplished – and certainly more expensive – than those Celtics.

”The potential is definitely there for us to be one of those teams that can be talked about in NBA history,” Pierce said. ”But it’s up to us to go out there and show it, be healthy and make a great run, and then win a championship to be in those talks.”

”I’m a team player. I’m not a selfish guy. I have no ego. My stats and my body of work speaks for itself,” Garnett said.

”My style is my style, and understand I’ve grown into this style. I haven’t always been like this. I’ve had to grow into being a man and understanding responsibilities and having different responsibilities. Through my course of my career from Minnesota to Boston I’ve understood all that, and now reaping some of those benefits of trial and error, I’m able to give wisdom and advice off of experience.”

”I think it’s tough to come together and win a championship in the first year. That’s not saying it can’t be done, we’re looking to do that,” Williams said. ”But as far as people not picking us, that’s all right. We’ll worry about us, we’ll worry about getting better, and we feel like if we get to the playoffs and everybody’s healthy, we have a chance to beat anybody.”[/box]

[box]NYDAILYNEWS –  Deron Williams returns to court for Nets, sees first five-on-five action following ankle injury 

[box] ESPN – Starting Five: D-Will on doubters

“I mean Miami has won it the last two years. They’re the favorites,” the Nets point guard said Tuesday. “We’ve got some work to do. I think it’s tough to come together and win a championship in your first year. I’m not saying it can’t be done. We’re looking to do that.

“As far as people not picking us, that’s all right. We’re worried about us getting better, and if we can get to the playoffs and everybody’s healthy, we have a chance to beat anybody.”[/box]

[box]NYPOST – Nets starters practice together for first time

Three weeks into the preseason, the Nets still are waiting to hold their first practice in which all 15 players are healthy and involved. In fact, it took until Tuesday for the Nets to have their first portion of any practice involving the full participation of their star-studded starting five in full-contact drills.

“Cohesiveness is something difficult,” Garnett said following Tuesday’s practice. “Chemistry is even more difficult. But what kills all that, the difficult part, is when everybody is willing and everybody is open and everybody wants to be cohesive and join. The chemistry that has been joined here is guys want to get to know each other, and understand each other’s strengths and weaknesses.”[/box]

[box] NEWSDAY – Deron Williams tries to shake off rust in Nets’ contact drills

So how did he look Tuesday?

“Rusty,” coach Jason Kidd said. But he wasn’t complaining.

“I think it’s great,” Kidd said. “I think we put a plan in place and he’s following it. But the biggest thing is his body is responding. So for him to be able to do 5-on-5 with the first group is always promising. We’ve been waiting, but we have to be patient.”

Said Williams: “I didn’t feel in sync at all because I haven’t played basketball. But it felt good to get out there . . . Tomorrow’s going to be telling, because this is the most I’ve done. So if it feels great tomorrow, just keep progressing.”[/box]