Nets' Brook Lopez celebrates with teammate Brooklyn Nets' Deron Williamsafter...

Nets' Brook Lopez celebrates with teammate Brooklyn Nets' Deron Williamsafter scoring against the Maccabi Tel Aviv during the third quarter of an NBA preseason basketball game Tuesday, Oct. 7, 2014. Credit: AP / Jason DeCrow

They're encouraged.

Deron Williams and Brook Lopez, both coming off surgery, were anxious to test things in game action, hoping it would give them a better gauge of where they are healthwise. So the smile they each flashed in the locker room Tuesday night as they pondered their performances in the Nets' preseason opener told you all you needed to know: They passed the next major hurdle on their comeback trails.

Lopez, who had surgery on both feet, paced the Nets with 20 points and five rebounds, and Williams showed his surgically repaired ankles are good to go, getting 17 points and seven assists to help pace Brooklyn past Maccabi Tel Aviv, 111-94, at Barclays Center.

By clearing another mental milestone, Williams and Lopez were able to feel a bit more at ease, knowing their bodies -- other than being a little winded -- held up nicely.

"I think when you are in practice, you are kind of thinking about it because it's more controlled, you have more time to kind go plan out," said Williams, who played 29:04. "When it gets to a game, things are happening fast. You can't really do that, and that's a good thing because I did that the last two years. I knew I couldn't step certain ways or go certain ways, so I had to, in my mind, choreograph what I was going to do. Now, I really don't have to do that."

Lopez was hot from the opening tip, draining his first shot. In his 23:42 of action, he shot 8-for-12 and went 4-for-5 at the free-throw line. He said he needs to work on being more explosive and also must get his general timing back.

After not playing in a game against someone else since December, the 7-footer is fully aware it's going to take a little time to find his groove. But he's confident his game will smooth itself eventually once he knocks some of the rust off, something that began in earnest against Maccabi Tel Aviv and continues over the next week in China when the Nets take on the Kings in two preseason contests.

"It was good," Lopez said. "It was great to be back on the floor. I felt so giddy when we first got on the floor. I was staring down the court, getting shots up. To be back out there with the guys, it was a fantastic feeling. It was a fun night."

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