Nets focus on stopping three-point success of Hawks' Kyle Korver

They can't attach a GPS to Kyle Korver's jersey or use some other sophisticated method to track every move of the Hawks' sharpshooter.

So the Nets know they must rely on the old-fashioned way: by keeping their eyeballs glued on Korver, who scored 21 points in Atlanta's Eastern Conference series-opening victory Sunday. Limiting Korver's scoring sprees is vital if the Nets are to have a chance to win this series, which resumes at Philips Arena Wednesday night.

"We've got to be aware," Deron Williams said Monday. "We have a certain way we want to play him. I think a couple of times we didn't do that, and as a result, he got free. But it's something that you have to pay a lot of attention to because he's constantly moving.

"If you look at the film, there's never a time where he's stagnant. So it's tough to guard him, but you have to give him a lot of help and we'll look to do that next game."

Korver has tortured the Nets in their last five meetings, all of which were Hawks victories. He's 20-for-39 from the field and is shooting 56.2 percent from beyond the arc, a number that actually dipped from 61.0 percent after he made 5 of 11 three-pointers Sunday.

But the Nets aren't the only ones he's victimized. Korver drained 49.2 percent of his three-pointers this season, becoming the first player to lead the league in the category three times. That's why he's such a focus of the Nets' defensive game plan, but they didn't always follow through on their schematic assignments Sunday, which allowed the 6-7 flamethrower to get hot.

"You can't stop a guy from coming off a screen when there's no back-side help," coach Lionel Hollins said. "You've got to chase him off the screen, and we got up on him top side to try to keep him from coming off the screen and he'd go backdoor."

Although he drained one three-pointer off the dribble Sunday, that was more of an aberration. It's not really a part of Korver's game. He's best at catching and shooting, and the Nets think the only way to combat that is to be physical with him.

"It's tough," Brook Lopez said. "He's so good at moving without the ball and getting open off of screens that we have to make sure to keep contact with him as much as possible . . . And then when he catches it, just make sure he puts it on the floor and get him off the line. Stay right in him."

Williams played three seasons with Korver in Utah and tried to recruit him in 2013 when he was a free agent, hoping he would sign for the midlevel exception. But Atlanta was able to offer Korver more money to re-sign and he has flourished under Hawks second-year coach Mike Budenholzer.

"I think he's in the right situation, think he's just got freedom here," Williams said. "A lot of coaches don't like early shots, but for him to get open, that's kind of what he has to take. He comes down and you see him in transition firing. When you shoot 60 percent from three, that's a pretty good shot."

Notes & quotes: Mirza Teletovic continues to work into game shape but isn't sure when or if he'll get the green light to play after being out since January following the discovery of multiple blood clots in his lungs. "To be honest, this is my first injury in 15 years and I have no idea now how I'm going to feel when I come on the court," Teletovic said. "So I think the coaches have more experience than I do and I really try to respect their opinion." . . . After suggesting Sunday that he might start someone at shooting guard other than rookie Markel Brown, Hollins was mum on any potential lineup changes.