Deron Williams downplays injury in victory: Win 'the only thing that matters'

The Brooklyn Nets successfully closed out the Atlanta Hawks on Saturday to trim their opening-round series deficit to 2-1. They did so without Deron Williams for the final 16 minutes of action.

Williams is supposed to be the team's star, a maximum-contract point guard who, when acquired, was in the discussion as among the best of his peers at the position. Things have gone poorly in Brooklyn, with Williams struggling through myriad injuries and poor performance, with the situation seemingly getting worse by the day.

On Saturday, Williams left the game after banging his thigh, but it's unclear if his absence down the stretch was due to the injury or to ineffective play. There had already been suggestions that Jarrett Jack should start given how poor Williams has played - he's shooting 26.9 percent in the series and averaging six points, 5.3 assists and 2.7 turnovers - and this may be the opening head coach Lionel Hollins needs to make a switch.

Hollins didn't have an update on Williams' injury after the game and Williams wasn't open to discussing specifics.

"It's frustrating for me to be banged up," Williams said. "But we won tonight and that's the only thing that matters."

During the regular season, the Nets were 6.7 points per-100 possessions better with Williams on the floor, when he averaged 13 points, 3.5 rebounds and 6.6 assists. But so far in this series, they've been embarrassed with him on the court and incredibly successful without him, thanks entirely to Williams getting bled at the defensive end:

Given how well the Nets played down the stretch Saturday, particularly on defense, Williams could see his minutes cut substantially moving forward despite the robust salary.