Deron Williams blasts A.J. Price
Deron Williams of the Brooklyn Nets is guarded by A J. Price during the second half of the Nets Wizards pre season game at Barclays Center. Nets won 98 to 88 over the Wizards on Monday, October 15, 2012. Photo by Errol Anderson Credit: Errol Anderson
So what exactly happened between Deron Williams and A.J. Price?
The Nets’ All-Star point guard said their brief squabble late in the fourth quarter of Monday night’s 98-88 victory over the Wizards in their preseason home opener at the Barclays Center stemmed from the Long Island native running his mouth.
“He started talking for no reason,” Williams said.
Williams was dribbling on a fastbreak with just under a minute remaining when Price reached in and fouled him a few steps inside the three-point line. Williams immediately smirked, looking incredulously in Price’s direction as Bradley Beal and a few Wizards stepped in.
Both were called for double technical fouls with 56.5 seconds remaining and Williams wasn’t thrilled with Price’s actions.
"He just started talking. He just kept saying, 'I'm home. I'm home.’ I don’t know what that means. That’s all he kept saying, ‘I’m home, I’m home.’ "
Told Price, who hails from Amityville, is from Long Island, Williams quickly replied, “Ok?”
“I'm not a tough guy. I just like to play basketball,” he said. “I hate when people start talking for no reason. That’s pretty much what he did. He’s home and I guess he had some boys in the crowd he wanted to impress while he can, the little minutes he's going to get this year.”
Price purchased 20 tickets for the game, so he likely had his share of family and friends mixed in the crowd of 14,219. He chalked the whole incident up to his emotions running a bit wild.
“Miscommunication,” Price said. “In the heat of the moment, guys say things all the time and one thing led to another, but all in all, it’s part of the game.”
