The Nets got a look at their new arena in a basketball environment for the first time Sunday. Here’s some notes from the day:
— While many of the Nets were present at one or more of Jay-Z’s eight shows at the Barclays Center, Sunday was the first time they actually practiced (even if it wasn’t on the team’s official “herringbone” court). Not surprisingly, everyone was complimentary of the new arena.
— Deron Williams made it clear last season that he wasn’t thrilled with the team’s temporary home in New Jersey, so it comes with little surprise that Williams is very happy about his new home. He mentioned the fact that it’s a “basketball arena” multiple times, and praised its sight lines.
— Avery Johnson had one issue with the building, saying that the open entrance to the street could prove to be an issue for games played in the afternoon. There were curtains over that end of the arena, but some light was still shining through. It’ll be something to keep an eye on as we get closer to the start of the season.
— Both Deron Williams and Joe Johnson said that the team got a lot out of Friday night’s scrimmage. Williams and Johnson both praised their teammates’ competitiveness in the scrimmage.
— He didn’t say why, but Avery Johnson said that he’s expecting to have two practices again tomorrow – just not for the entire team. After holding a regular morning practice, Johnson said he’s going to have five or six players – chosen by him – come back for an evening practice.
When asked why he was holding the extra session for some, but not all, of his players, Johnson said nothing more than “coach’s decision.” A good guess would probably be for conditioning purposes, though it could also be to clean up some mental errors, as well.