If the Nets had their way, Deron Williams wouldn't have made his debut in San Antonio, where the best team in the league was 26-2 entering Friday's game. And Williams will have to wait at least another night before he gets his first win in a Nets uniform, because the Spurs used a huge third quarter to come away with 106-96 victory at the AT&T Center.
A 9-0 run near the end of the second quarter helped the Nets take a one-point lead into the half. But the Spurs took control with a 35-18 third quarter and the Nets could only get to within seven in the fourth. The Spurs out-shot the Nets from the field, from the 3-point range and from the free throw line and gave up 50 points in the paint.
Williams shot just 5-for-13 from the field, but finished with a double-double, 14 points and 12 assists, in his debut. He re-aggravated his right wrist injury (strained tendon) late in the first quarter, but returned in the second. Anthony Morrow led the Nets with 25 points on 7-for-11 from the field. Brook Lopez finished with 13 points and eight rebounds, but made just five of his 13 shots and flubbed an alley-oop from Williams.
Mikhail Prokhorov made a special trip to San Antonio to meet his new acquisition, which “meant a lot” to Williams.
- Boxscore - NBA.com
- Game Highlights (Video) - NBA.com
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Nets-Spurs notebook - Tim Price - NBA.com
- Williams has double-double but loses Nets debut - Paul J. Weber - AP
- Loss to Spurs Gives Williams Crash Course in Nets’ Routine - Dan McCarney - New York Times
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Williams 'tweaks' wrist in Nets' loss to Spurs - Fred Kerber - New York Post
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Prokhorov walking tall in eyes of new star - Fred Kerber - New York Post
- In Deron Williams' debut, Nets lose, 106-96, to Spurs - Colin Stephenson - Star-Ledger
- Prokhorov flies in to see Deron Williams' debut - Colin Stephenson - Star-Ledger
- Williams Nets debut ends with a loss to the Spurs, but shows signs of fire team lacked - Stefan Bondy - New York Daily News
- Spurs spoil Deron Williams' debut as Nets fall 106-96 - Al Iannazzone - The Record
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Addition of Deron Williams gives Nets whole new feeling - Al Iannazzone - The Record
- Nets lose Deron's debut, but night belongs to Williams - Al Iannazzone - The Nets Insider
- From the Booth (Video) - Ian Eagle & Mike Fratello - YES Network
- Avery Johnson Press Conference (Video) - YES Network
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Deron Williams Interview (Video) - YES Network
- Rapid Reaction: Spurs 106, Nets 96 - Mike Mazzeo - ESPN New York
- Strained right wrist hampers Williams in debut - Mike Mazzeo - ESPN New York
- Neal’s concussion gives minutes to Anderson - Mike Monroe - San Antonio Express-News
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Five quick takes: The Spurs’ defense slumbered for a half before a stern wake-up - Tim Griffin - San Antonio Express-News