Lou Williams admitted to some trepidation about returning to the scene of the crime, otherwise known as the Barclays Center.
Almost one year ago, Williams tore the ACL in his right knee while driving to the basket in a Jan. 18th game against the Nets. The season came to an abrupt end after 39 games for the Hawks guard.
“It’s one of those games I’m ready to play, get it over with and get on the bus and get home,” Williams said Monday before the Hawks faced the Nets. “I’m trying not to think about it too much but at the same time, it’s a place that changed the course of my career. I’m kind of afraid of this place, so the best way to get over a fear is to hit it head-on and get over it.”
Afraid?
“It was the severity of the whole thing,” he said. “It turned my world upside down for 10 months. That is always going to be in the back of my mind when I step inside this building. It could have been one of those games where I had the flu (and missed). Instead, we are going to hit it head-on and prepare ourselves for a game and hope for the best.”
Williams spoke while sitting in a courtside seat, just a few feet from where the injury occurred.
Williams has been working to regain his game as well as his role with the Hawks since missing the first eight games of the season. There have been moments when he has shone. He has scored 25 or more points three times, including a 28-point game against the Bobcats on Dec. 28.
There have also been moments when his shot failed him. He has a combined 12 points in the last three games, including going scoreless in 16 minutes against the Celtics on Dec. 31.
“It’s been a roller coaster,” Williams said of his first 21 games. “To be honest with you, the only game I felt I struggled was probably Boston when I went 0-for-8. Other than that, the minutes reflect the production. Some nights we limit the minutes and I don’t play as much and my numbers reflect that. For the future, I’m concentrating on playing as best as I can in the moments that I am in the game and doing the best that I can.”
Coach Mike Budenholzer said there have been games where he has elected to use other players with the hot hand, primarily Shelvin Mack, down the stretch. Williams said he understands the strategy and has been in a similar position previously in his career where coaches utilized him in a two- or three-guard rotation.
Williams is averaging 10.2 points, three assists and 1.8 rebounds in 23.3 minutes. He said Monday that he has relied on his jump shot early in his return and looks forward to expanding his game.
“In the past, I’ve been able to slash,” Williams said. “I’ve been a guy who can get to the rim, get to the free-throw line. I think as I get healthier, those are the things that I’m going to have to put back in my game.”
Antic starts again: It appears the Pero Antic will remain in the starting lineup as the replacement for Al Horford. Antic started his third straight game Monday after averaging 12.5 points and seven rebounds in his previous starts. Elton Brand started the first three games after Horford's season-ending injury. Budenholzer said he likes starting with Antic and bringing in Brand off the bench.
“(Antic) has been good,” Budenholzer said. “I think it’s a good fit, the things he does with that first group. I like Elton with the second group and what he brings to that group. I’m kind of keeping him in that role or that position. It has felt good, felt right.”
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