Brook Lopez and Deron Williams Must Remain Healthy for Brooklyn Nets to Contend

By Joseph Martinez @JMartinezNBA on October 1, 2014

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

We all know Brooklyn Nets majority owner Mikhail Prokhorov did everything he could to help get a championship-caliber team in Brooklyn, spending money at no expense; and it all started with Deron Williams and Brook Lopez. The Nets have put themselves well over the cap in an attempt to build a champion. That hasn’t worked out so well for them after consecutive early playoff exits. Something has to change and it has to start with their two stars.

I’ll start with Williams. The Nets traded for him in hopes of him being the superstar he was with the Utah Jazz – and once considered arguably the best point guard in the NBA along with Chris Paul. That hasn’t panned out for the Nets. He averaged 21 points and almost nine assists per game in his first full season with the Nets while in New Jersey, but shot a low percentage from the field. He’s struggled the past two seasons, especially this past season where he only averaged 14 points and six assists a game.

Williams has dealt with injuries ever since joining the Nets — most of them being ankle injuries, which has really affected his play. He lost his lift and explosiveness and his attitude wasn’t the same while dealing with those injuries. He often played through several ankle sprains, which only made matters worse. He finally got surgery on his troublesome ankles and even new Nets head coach Lionel Hollins says Williams is “back” and looks in great shape.

Lopez has just had very tough luck. In his first three seasons in the NBA, he never missed a game. He’s suffered a significant injury the last three seasons since then. He played in a combined 246 games in his first three seasons and only 96 total games the following three years — just not great luck for Lopez. But when he’s healthy, he’s arguably a top-three center in the league; and you can say he’s probably the best offensive center in the league without a doubt.

Lopez has also vastly improved on the defensive end and, with Kevin Garnett on board for his second year with the Nets, he should only improve. Lopez has already come out and said Garnett has given him a lot of confidence. It’s truly special to any young player to be able to play with a guy like Garnett, one of the most intense players to ever step foot on an NBA court. KG will only continue to push Lopez, which will benefit Lopez and the Nets.

Williams and Lopez are the key to any run the Nets want to make this season. When healthy, the both of them make a very dangerous duo. It could be one of the deadliest point guard-center duos in the league. If they can stay healthy and play to their superstar abilities, then the Nets will be a very difficult team to figure out this season.

Joseph Martinez is a Brooklyn Nets/NBA writer for www.RantSports.com. Follow him on Twitter @BKN_Martinez08, find him on Facebook or add him to your network on Google.