Nothin' But Nets
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Brooklyn Nets: 25 greatest individual games in team history

By Phil Watson

CHARLOTTE, NC - MARCH 4: Deron Williams #8 of the New Jersey Nets takes a foul shot during the game against the Charlotte Bobcats at Time Warner Cable Arena on March 4, 2012 in Charlotte, North Carolina. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2012 NBAE (Photo by Kent Smith/NBAE via Getty Images)
CHARLOTTE, NC - MARCH 4: Deron Williams #8 of the New Jersey Nets takes a foul shot during the game against the Charlotte Bobcats at Time Warner Cable Arena on March 4, 2012 in Charlotte, North Carolina. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2012 NBAE (Photo by Kent Smith/NBAE via Getty Images) /
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Brooklyn Nets
LANDOVER, MD – CIRCA 1984: Buck Williams #52 of the New Jersey Nets looks on against the Washington Bullets during an NBA basketball game circa 1984 at the Capital Centre in Landover, Maryland. Williams played for the Nets from 1981-89. (Photo by Focus on Sport/Getty Images) /

16. Buck Williams at Golden State Warriors, Feb. 1, 1987

On the first night of February 1987, they could have played all night at Oakland-Alameda County Coliseum Arena. And the New Jersey Nets and Golden State Warriors nearly did.

Entering the 1986-87 season, the Nets had made the playoffs five straight years, while the Warriors had missed the postseason nine consecutive times.

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Their fortunes were definitely reversing, as the Nets came into the game with an 11-32 record, while the playoff-bound Warriors were 24-22.

For New Jersey, the game in Oakland was the fourth in a five-game West Coast swing and they have played two nights earlier at Portland. The Warriors coming off a home win against Seattle before hosting the Nets with a day’s rest.

The game was close throughout. New Jersey led by four at the end of the first. Golden State came back to grab a one-point halftime lead before the Nets entered the fourth quarter with an 83-78 edge. The Warriors tied the game late and off to overtime they went.

And went. And went. And went.

Before it was over, the game would go four overtimes before Golden State escaped with a wild 150-147 win.

Joe Barry Carroll led the Warriors with 43 points and 24 rebounds in 55 minutes, while former Net Sleepy Floyd played a game-high 64 minutes and finished with 29 points and 13 assists.

Buck Williams set a Nets NBA record in the game, playing 60 minutes while finishing with 18 points and 27 rebounds in the loss.

Orlando Woolridge had a triple-double in 57 minutes with 24 points, 11 rebounds and 10 assists and rookie Pearl Washington scored a team-high 29 points in 48 minutes.

How long did the game go? Albert King logged 42 minutes for New Jersey … off the bench.

But no Net before or since did the work of Williams — a full hour of NBA basketball in a single night.

The irony is that Williams averaged 36.3 minute per game that season — his lowest total since his rookie year in 1981-82, while putting up 18.0 points, 12.5 rebounds, 1.0 steals and 1.1 blocks per game on .557/0-for-1/.731.

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