Williams Steps Up Defensively for the Nets

ORLANDO — The Nets have been looking to Ziaire Williams to reclaim the strong defensive guard he was last year, and coach Jordi Fernandez has put that challenge to him.

On Friday, Williams stepped up, showcasing his best defense of the season.

“Ziaire, he was the defender we needed,” Fernandez noted. “We saw the deflection we were looking for.”

In the Nets’ 105-98 defeat to the Magic, Williams struggled offensively, scoring 15 points on 6-of-11 shooting. In the four games prior, he had averaged just 6 points with a shooting percentage of .233, and .208 from three-point range.

Nonetheless, his defensive contributions were significant. He recorded a season-high three steals, effectively disrupted passing lanes, and was a plus-4 in 36 minutes of play. This was a notable turnaround from his minus-46 over the previous four games.

“Defense energizes me,” Williams explained. “Getting that spark on defense helps me on offense. I know I need to step up and better execute for my teammates. I feel like I’ve let them down a bit recently, so I’ll focus on improving.” He acknowledged feeling the burden of pressure.

“Yeah, for sure. I’m trying to tackle too much at once, almost like I’m trying to save the world with every play,” he shared. “That’s just part of my competitive nature. But it’s a learning curve, and I’ve had productive discussions with Jordi and the coaching staff. I’m eager to improve.”

Dayron Sharp made his return from a hip injury, playing 14 minutes and contributing four points and five rebounds. Meanwhile, Cam Thomas missed the game due to a hamstring issue, while rookies Danny Wolf, Nolan Traore, and Ben Saraf were occupied with G League commitments.