P.J. Carlesimo "Befuddled" By Deron Williams Critics
The Brooklyn Nets have been inconsistent this year as everyone who follows the team knows. The blame has recently heightened for the “leader” of the team, Deron Williams, and some people don’t quite understand the reasons. Williams has been hurt since training camp with bone spurs in his ankles and recently missed two games with ankle synovitis.
Nets head coach P.J. Carlesimo is one of the people who can’t seem to figure out the backlash that Williams is receiving. He made some comments recently in defense of his point guard and stands strong behind him and his physical condition.
Today it was released that Williams will receive three cortisone shots in his ankles and some reduced playing time to keep him refreshed for the playoff run.
Read Carlesimo’s comments from ESPNNY’s Mike Mazzeo.
“Everybody else has problems with Deron. I don’t have any problems with Deron Williams,” Carlesimo said. “I love Deron Williams and he’s a great player. I’m a little bit befuddled at everything that’s being made. He’s a pretty good player. I don’t have the problem with him that everybody else has or seems to have. I don’t know what everyone else is looking at.”
Still, Carlesimo is happy with the way Williams, who signed a five-year, $98 million contract to remain with Brooklyn in the offseason, has produced.
“He runs our team. He scores points. He gets assists. He draws double teams. He makes the other players better. He’s a way above-average defensive point guard,” Carlesimo said.
“I’ve had a lot of teams that didn’t have a point guard nearly as good as Deron Williams. Again you can look at numbers and make numbers say whatever they want. I don’t know what the stats are. We’ve had more wins than this franchise has had in a bunch of years at the All-Star break. We’re playing in a new building and with new teammates. I don’t know how many games we won last year for the whole year.
“I think from the outside world, people will say things are OK in Brooklyn, and Deron has a lot to do with that. Deron’s basically been the single most important factor in transforming the franchise, so honestly I don’t understand it.”
