Nets' Ziaire Williams a pest on defense with an improving shot

MEMPHIS, Tenn. — After Ziaire Williams’ fourth and final steal Wednesday led to him assisting Dennis Schroder for a three-pointer, the Nets forward yelled to the bench when the Grizzlies called timeout.

“Let’s go! Let’s go!” Williams said to teammates.

Williams, who set a career high in steals, carried extra motivation facing his former team for the first time. But the intensity wasn’t reserved just for the Grizzlies. It’s been part of a strong start for a player trying to embrace his new home.

He came to the Nets (2-3) as a former lottery pick hoping for a new opportunity. The fourth-year forward is finding it as a spark plug on defense and has added surprising offense.

“He brings all that energy off the bench and that's contagious,” coach Jordi Fernandez said this week. “We keep telling the guys mistakes are going to happen, but if you can cover with more effort, and that's what Ziaire does, obviously we will help him as a coaching staff to make less mistakes.”

Williams was on the court during the Nets’ 16-2 fourth-quarter run that led them past the Bucks Sunday. His length caused deflections and his activity — whether defending full-court or attacking on the perimeter — made it hard for the Bucks’ ballhandlers.

Three of his four steals in Wednesday's 119-106 win came off deflections after jumping into passing lanes. It was fitting it happened in Memphis where Williams credited coach Taylor Jenkins for the defensive foundation that helped him easily adjust to Fernandez’s scheme.

It also made him willing to accept Fernandez’s challenge to be one of the Nets’ best defenders.

“Just havoc on the court, guarding the best player, pick up full and provide energy,” Williams said. “Coming off the bench, I feel like that's the least I could do for the starters. So that's what I just try to focus on, just competing my heart out out there. And whatever happens on the offensive side is a plus.”

Williams had a reputation as a poor shooter in Memphis but in five games for the Nets he’s made 9 of 16 three-pointers. He tied his career high Tuesday with four threes and credited Grizzlies assistant coach Anthony Carter with fixing some mechanics, including hopping into a shot instead of stepping twice before it.

“That’s allowed me to get a lot more momentum,” said Williams, who had 17 points Wednesday. “I thank God for him every day, because I really feel like he honestly somewhat saved my shot a little bit for sure.”

Williams’ play is impressing his new teammates. Dorian Finney-Smith has taken him under his wing because he reminds Finney-Smith of his younger self trying to make a mark.

It’s made Williams feel at home in Brooklyn even as he flew around making what Fernandez deemed winning plays in his former home.

“I mean, he is one of the best defenders already in this league,” Schroder said. “He is just disrupting the offense from the other team: Steals, just deflections in general. And then, of course, offensively, he’s getting wide-open layups, dunks, threes, cuts. I think he's just great for our team.”

Notes & quotes: Trendon Watford was upgraded to probable on the Nets' injury report Thursday. Watford has yet to play this season after a strained left hamstring sidelined him in the preseason.

By Evan Barnes

evan.barnes@newsday.comevan_b

Evan Barnes covers the Nets for Newsday. He previously covered Memphis football and the Memphis Grizzlies and also covered prep sports in Los Angeles.