ATLANTA: Deron Williams understood LeBron James’ intended gesture.
That might have been why Williams stopped to chat at James’ locker on his way out of TD Garden on Wednesday night.
They joked about Williams playing 23 minutes after the new backup point guard expected to go 10 or 12 in his Cavaliers’ debut, especially since the former Dallas Maverick hadn’t been on a basketball court for 2½ weeks.
But there appeared to be more to it than that.
Playing their first game together since the 2012 Olympics, James showed his respect for Williams in a way that Williams might have found touching.
With the clock winding down and two Celtics flying at James, James passed to Williams “naked” in the short corner for a 3-pointer that might have won the game.
Williams’ shot with 4.2 seconds remaining didn’t go down and the Celtics prevailed 103-99 in the clash of the top two teams in the Eastern Conference.
“I know, it was a great moment, it was set up perfect. I did everything but make it,” Williams said. “Wide open, wide open. Felt good, looked good, it just didn’t go in.”
No matter how the 2016-17 season turns out, Williams isn’t likely to forget the perfect welcome-to-the-Cavs moment.
According to a Fox Sports Ohio statistic, coming into the game, three-time All-Star Williams had made 7-of-10 short corner 3s in the final 10 seconds in his 12-year career. But that’s not why James made the pass, surely not in the loud, frenzied final seconds.
In January, James criticized the front office for not assembling a championship-caliber roster and demanded a playmaker. Since then, the most reliable playmaker the Cavs have acquired is Williams.
Thrust into action when Kyrie Irving picked up his second foul with 3:51 remaining in the first quarter, Williams finished with four points on 2-of-8 shooting from the field and went 0-for-2 from 3-point range, and added two rebounds and two assists. His plus/minus was a plus-4, one of only two Cavs (Richard Jefferson was the other) on that side of the ledger.
Williams, 32 years old like James, will have to get his legs back. Williams admitted they felt heavy Wednesday, adding that he was rusty.
“We kind of fast-tracked his legs. He’s gonna be in the ice tub the next day and a half,” James said.
Williams will also have to get used to the fact that the Cavs rarely practice. After signing Monday, he had an abbreviated session Tuesday and one shootaround. Coach Tyronn Lue said assistants Larry Drew and Damon Jones helped with prep and put plays on Williams’ iPad, but gave him only five sets to run with the second unit.
“The sets are pretty simple here,” Williams said. “It’s just getting the calls and remembering them. Sometimes when T-Lue calls something out my mind is just scrambled trying to think of what it is. It wasn’t bad today.”
With so little time to prepare, Williams impressed his teammates. There was a sense in the locker room that Wednesday’s big miss won’t be his only chance for big glory as a Cavalier.
“I’m sure I’ll get many more of them,” Williams said. “Just move onto the next one and keep shooting.”
Belichick spared
With about nine minutes remaining, James, going for a rebound, ran into New England Patriots coach Bill Belichick. But unlike James’ December 2015 collision with golfer Jason Day’s wife, Ellie, which left her hospitalized, Belichick escaped unscathed.
Belichick, a former Browns coach who won his fifth Super Bowl in February, was sitting under the basket with his girlfriend.
When it was suggested they share the same stratosphere in sports, James said, “I don’t know if I’m on his level. But I definitely slowed up because I knew it was him. I’m not taking no legend out. I’m not doing that. I need to keep seeing him win, so that’s pretty cool for me.”
A couple hours later, James tweeted that he had a “great” conversation with Belichick after the game. “Things like that I’ll remember forever. #GOAT #MutualRespect #Inspiring ” James tweeted.
James honored
James was named Eastern Conference player of the month for February. It is his 34th such honor, the most in NBA history, and second this season (October/November).
Leading the Cavs to a league-best 9-2 record, James averaged 25.6 points, 7.2 rebounds and 10.6 assists in 37.5 minutes of 10 games. He notched seven double-doubles (one a triple-double) and shot .637 (100-157) from the field and .571 (21-37) from 3-point range. Those shooting percentages were monthly highs for him this season, and his assists average was the highest of any month in his career.
Marla Ridenour can be reached at mridenour@thebeaconjournal.com. Read her blog at www.ohio.com/marla. Follow her on Twitter at www.twitter.com/MRidenourABJ.