Here’s my look at Friday night’s 99-96 Nets win over the Cavaliers:
– The Nets now have two wins in a row, and the play of Deron Williams is a huge reason why. The superstar point guard played like one again against the Cavaliers, finishing with 27 points, 10 assists, two rebounds, two steals and a block, in addition to shooting 9-for-18 from the field and 5-for-9 from 3-point range. When Williams plays like that, the Nets have a chance to win any game – especially against teams in the lower half of the league.
– Once again, the Nets have knocked off a team that they either realistically can or should beat. If they can keep doing that until Brook Lopez (and, to a lesser extent, MarShon Brooks) returns to the lineup, they will definitely be able to stay in contention for a playoff spot.
– Another strong showing from Kris Humphries (18 points, 11 rebounds, two steals and a block), who continues to look like one of the best free-agent signings of the summer. At one year and $8 million, Humphries is going to be a very valuable commodity next summer, as teams are always interested in acquiring as much defense and rebounding as they possibly can, and Humphries provides plenty of both.
– Likewise, another strong showing from Jordan Farmar (11 points, seven assists) off the bench. Farmar has become an incredibly reliable option for Avery Johnson off the bench, and has been one of the Nets’ most consistent performers all season long. With a player option looming this summer, one would think Farmar will be a likely candidate to test free agency and see if he can land a job as a starting point guard somewhere. A team like the Knicks, for instance, would kill to have Farmar to run the team right now instead of Toney Douglas.
– He didn’t set the world on fire, but Shelden Williams gave the Nets 32 effective minutes. With Mehmet Okur again sidelined with back spasms, the Nets needed Williams to play well for them, and he did, finishing with four points, seven rebounds, two assists and three blocked shots. In that kind of role, he can be a very effective player, as he proved again against Cleveland.
– New Jersey native Kyrie Irving was impressive once again, finishing with 32 ponits, six rebounds, two assists and two steals. When the Cavaliers took him first overall there were some questions about whether or not that was the right decision. Well, he’s continually proved them right through the early parts of this season, and currently is one of the favorites for Rookie of the Year, along with Ricky Rubio (with MarShon Brooks likely third on most ballots).