Tuesday, December 18th, 2012 at 9:00 am  |  137 responses

Deron Williams Blames Avery Johnson’s System for Struggles


by Marcel Mutoni / @marcel_mutoni

A deeply frustrated Deron Williams is searching everywhere for answers.

The Brooklyn Nets’ star point guard, putting up the worst numbers since his second year in the NBA, has gone from saying his issues are mostly mental, to blaming his head coach for his struggles.

According to D-Will, currently averaging 17 points, 8.3 assists and only shooting 38.8% from the field, Avery Johnson’s offense hasn’t helped his game. Williams says he prefers the system Jerry Sloan ran in Utah.

Per the NY Times:

Since coming to the Northeast, he has eroded in nearly every facet of his game. His scoring has declined, and his shooting percentages have plummeted. [...] Injuries may be partly to blame. But as the Nets prepared to host the Jazz on Tuesday, Williams listed another factor: the playbook. “That system was a great system for my style of play,” Williams said of the “flex” offense run by Utah Coach Jerry Sloan. “I’m a system player. I love Coach Sloan’s system. I loved the offense there.”

Williams was widely blamed for Sloan’s sudden retirement in February 2011, just before the Jazz traded Williams to the Nets. And his openly pining for Sloan’s system could be viewed as subtle criticism of Coach Avery Johnson’s offense. Williams did nothing to discourage that interpretation when he was asked to compare the offense used by the Nets with the one he ran in Utah. “Is it as good as there? No,” he said. “There’s just more one-on-one and isos” in Johnson’s offense.

Shots fired!

While saying that he will eventually adjust to the Nets’ iso-heavy system, Deron Williams added that in both high school and college, his teams ran motion offenses that featured plenty of movement which allowed him to thrive.

Avery Johnson thinks time is on Deron Williams’ side and that he will snap out of his funk. And though that may very well be the case, there’s no denying that things will be considerably more tense in Brooklyn going forward.

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  • Pais

    Jeremy Lin fans would disagree

  • SirGrey

    Brooks’ defense is horrible. That’s why.

  • TR

    DWill has been pretty loose butt hole compared to his usual, but I believe he can bounce back. Skills haven’t fallen off at all.

  • Datkid

    He’s hearing the words… but his mind can’t make sense of them. sad.

  • Datkid

    lmaooo that’s probably true.

  • http://www.facebook.com/people/Junior-Taylor/100003121138419 Junior Taylor

    DWill’s statements further illustrates my point of him being overrated. Don’t give me this “the system is at fault for my struggles” BS. You’re a supposed to be the best PG in quite a few people’s eyes and you’re blaming the playcalling for your problems? CP has a terrible coach in Vinny yet I don’t see him pointing the fingers at anyone during their struggles or shooting under 40% from the field. Go out there and lead by example with your play.

  • Datkid

    They are, but you gotta remember. Points wise they are exactly the same. This team is more aesthetically pleasing and might go farther in the playoffs because they fit better together, (which is important actually but I haven’t seen enough of them to know that) but all advanced metrics point to them scoring and defending at the exact same rate they did with him. which is weird. lol

  • Datkid

    oh my god shut up, I just meant that you’re obviously a raptors fan so you know about bargnani. don’t have an aneurysm. also Z-bo can defend. He’s been fine defensively for like 2-3 years.

    also for the record captain caps lock you can name 5-7 PF’s better than Zbo. Dirk,Pau, Bosh,Aldridge,K-Love (granted they all have to fully healthy) but whatever. ugh

  • Datkid

    that was really stupid. you’re really stupid. post less please. thanks.

  • Datkid

    So just so we’re clear only the jack@ss who’s in love with the Toronto Raptors thinks D.will is a terrible awful player right? just checking.

  • RunNGun

    Coach killer… just ask Sloan. `Nuff said.

  • http://www.facebook.com/people/Mike-Gilbert/100001749589586 Mike Gilbert

    I blame my fantasy team’s only loss on him

  • http://www.facebook.com/people/Mike-Gilbert/100001749589586 Mike Gilbert

    get off of Zogs’ sack

  • http://www.facebook.com/people/Mike-Gilbert/100001749589586 Mike Gilbert

    Damian Lillard is shooting 42%….

  • LakeShow

    This is correct.

  • RKJ92

    THAT TOO

  • LakeShow

    Yeah like a month.

  • KC

    He also needs to drop some pounds. He has never appeared to really be in the tip top shape that a superstar(especially an point guard) should be in. He has had that double chin thing going on for a minute now.

  • bill

    When did Lin blame the coach’s system for his inadequacy?

  • bill

    Lakeshow can only handle one subject per post. No matter how long or short the post.

  • bill

    Miami Heat went to the Finals while gelling.

  • http://www.facebook.com/people/Peeper-Staples/100000306369643 Peeper Staples

    bum

  • http://www.facebook.com/people/Peeper-Staples/100000306369643 Peeper Staples

    and folks say he better den rondo yea ok

  • LakeShow

    17-9-3=Bum…
    Man, what is Chris Duhon then…

  • Sakari Heiskanen

    I always thought Deron was underrated and as good as CP3, but it’s been really hard to root for the guy lately. Throwing his coach under the bus while praising the one he got fired makes me wonder whom I despise more C.Anthony, D.Howard or D.Williams.

  • http://twitter.com/Jzakoni Sanchez

    yeah, boozer aint shlt. :-/

  • http://twitter.com/Jzakoni Sanchez

    he will be. seems like lillard is up to par with the elite

  • http://twitter.com/Jzakoni Sanchez

    lets get along fellas lol

  • http://twitter.com/Jzakoni Sanchez

    lets get along fellas haha

  • http://twitter.com/Jzakoni Sanchez

    we lift weights together my ni66a

  • Pais

    Jeremy Lin “Fans”. You missed a word, which is strange seeing as there’s only five of them in the entire sentence.

  • Yi-Cheng Chen

    How come I don’t see Jeremy Lin blaming the system or the coach? Deron should learn from there.

  • RedRum

    I see people here blaming DWill for not adapting to the system. At the same time, I pretty sure I have seen some of the same people saying that Nash could not fit to the Princeton that LA was running, or that the Triangle would not be suitable for Nash. Double standards anyone??? I am sorry to say but not many people here really know what they talking about as it pertains to basketball (Stephen A Smiths favourite phrase). Look, as a coach (not pro, I coach a Uni team in the UK) I use players that fit in my system (I run the Triangle). I have players that if I run a different system would be starters, but in the triangle cannot do the things the system demands from the PG. DWill is a player that needs the ball in his hand to play with a pick n roll. Johnson’s system sort of uses him in iso and drive and kick situations which does not suit him. Not every player can do anything. I personally do not like AJ as a coach, neither all the rest of the ex-defensive specialist coaches (ie Tibs, Brown etc). Their teams win games in the regular season just because they get stops and focused D . But come playoffs time, when you have to play the same team 6-7 times, everyone knows everything about the other team. What wins the game is the creativity of the coach to overcome scouting and bring something in the game that will give an advantage. I just realised that I wrote the longest post I have ever written, my assumption is that no one is reading at this point, so let me take this opportunity to say bleap you all

  • Anthony Dixon

    lmao

  • Anthony Dixon

    jeremy lin had ppl thinking the same

  • Anthony Dixon

    you guys cnt read… dwill was being honest, what’s wrong with that… yall are more emotional than Avery about this

  • http://twitter.com/Jzakoni Sanchez

    ahhhh cmon. ill be the first one to tell you that kid was all hype. gtfoh

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