Brooklyn guard Deron Williams wasn’t headed to Houston for the 2013 All-Star game this weekend anyway. Now, he won’t even be playing for the Nets before the festivities start. Williams was announced as out for the next two games today because of inflammation of both ankle joint linings. That means no Williams against Indiana tonight or Denver on Wednesday. Until possible offseason surgery, Williams will seek the popular treatment of the moment: platelet-rich plasma. Kobe Bryant, Brandon Roy, Tracy McGrady and Andrew Bynum have all gone the plasma route with their knees with differing degrees of efficacy. Williams is the first I’ve heard of using the treatment on his ankles.
A host of theories exist as to why Williams is playing some of the worst basketball of his career this season. Notably, he suggested the Nets’ offense was like a low ceiling that didn’t allow his game to grow under then-coach Avery Johnson. He’s also mentioned his ankles, and how the pressure to perform with Team USA at the London Olympics kept him from seeking surgery and sufficient rehabilitation last summer.
Williams may have been universally vilified for his role in Johnson’s firing, but his play would suggest he had a point. Since the Nets’ first game of 2013 on Jan. 2, Williams is averaging 17.3 points per game, shooting 44 percent from the field but more importantly, 41 percent from deep, and has 7.4 assists. Those are significant increases over his season as a whole. All of which means, the Nets can’t afford to be without him too long. Brooklyn holds the fifth seed in the East, four games ahead of No. 8 Milwaukee.
What do you think of his injury’s severity?
Follow Andrew on Twitter at @AndrewGreif.
Follow Dime on Twitter at @DimeMag.
Become a fan of Dime Magazine on Facebook HERE.
