Deron Williams showed all 30 NBA teams why he deserves a max contract at the end of the season. Luckily for the Nets, they have him now.
Williams delivered his best performance as a Net in New Jersey's 97-90 overtime win against the Philadelphia 76ers.
The point guard exploded for 34 points, 11 assists, and four rebounds in an environment that has not yielded many wins. The Sixers (12-6) entered the game 8-1 at home.
Williams showed up in winning time, though.
He blew past Sixers forward Thaddeus Young and converted a layup in traffic to knot the game, 82-82, with 1.3 seconds left in regulation.
In overtime, Williams took control of the game.
He flushed a fadeaway baseline jumper to tie the game at 90, and followed with a three-pointer on the ensuing possession to put the Nets up, 93-90, with 26 seconds remaining in overtime. Williams three-pointer was preceded by a devastating crossover, a move Williams utilized throughout the night.
"This is probably one of the bigger wins that we've had in two years here," Avery Johnson said. "At the end of the game, we just put the ball in Deron's hands and said, 'Take us home.'
"We know what kind of difference Deron can make."
Making the win even more improbable, the Nets were without starter MarShon Brooks, who missed his second straight game with a sore left Achilles tendon.
Williams had help too. Power forward Kris Humphries notched a double-double with 13 points and 19 rebounds. Anthony Morrow sealed the win with four straight free-throws to close overtime.
Morrow finished with 16 points, which included a timely three-pointer with 1:09 left in the fourth quarter that gave the Nets an 80-78 lead.
"We've been playing better and better," Deron Williams said. "Today we came out and put a lot better effort out there."
Elton Brand tied the game on the next possession. The power forward found himself with a wide-open baseline jumper after the Nets got caught in a trap near midcourt.
Lou Williams finished with a team-high 17 points. Brand, who fouled out 39 seconds into overtime, scored 16 points.
The Nets got off to a fast start, jumping out to a 9-2 lead. They led, 22-18, after the first quarter and trailed by just two at halftime.
"We didn't get down in the first quarter, which was big," Williams said. "We executed well... We did a great job of getting back in transition, which is a big part of their success."
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