Deron Williams and the Nets face one of life’s most irritating problems: he has an injury that needs rest but he needs to play throughout the drive to the playoffs. So all concerned are hoping cortisone shots in both his ankles can be the solution.
Williams, who sat out the two Nets’ wins prior to the All-Star break, admitted he received his third set of injections on Thursday and in all probability will need one more shot in each joint before the playoffs.
“This is the third time. I just didn’t want to talk about it all the time because I don’t like telling you guys (media),” Williams said following Friday’s morning workout session in preparation for the Houston Rockets. “I can probably get another one before the playoffs. That’s when I’m going to get it.”
Rest, of course, is the best prescription but the Nets sort of need Williams for their playoff push. So interim coach P.J. Carlesimo is trying to forge a blueprint that contains less practice time (and he said Williams loves practicing), reduced minutes, playing more two guard.
“He likes to play. And he plays injured so that’s a little bit of a dilemma. It something we’re going to have to – and I haven’t talked to him about that – but that’s something we need to discuss going forward for sure because he and Joe (Johnson) in particular, we need everybody rested and healthy when the playoffs start,” Carlesimo said.
And Johnson, GM Billy King revealed, would not play against Houston because of plantar fasciaitis.
Williams, who fought a wrist injury that ultimately required surgery when he first arrived with the Nets, has been hampered by both ankles (the left is the worst of the two) since early training camp.
“It’s just been tough. I’ve struggled with almost two seasons with a wrist that needed an operation and I didn’t know it, so that was frustrating,” Williams said. “I had surgery on that. The ankles are bothering me now, but I’ll be alright.”