Wounded Warrior: Williams shakes off injuries to lift Johnson-less Nets over Hornets
Deron Williams has heard it all this season.
His scoring, shooting and assist numbers are down. He’s worn out and, some even hinted, out of shape following a busy summer helping Team USA grab a second straight gold medal in London. He allegedly hastened the early departure of Avery Johnson by citing his inability to function properly in the raspy-voiced coaches’ offense. And worst of all, he hasn’t come up big in late-game situations when the Nets needed their $100 million point guard the most.
What you haven’t heard enough is how Williams has bravely played through a myriad of nagging injuries, including a sprained wrist, a pair of swollen ankles and, most recently, a painful calf contusion, to keep Brooklyn in the thick of the hunt for the Atlantic Division crown and a premium slot in the Eastern Conference playoffs.