The Closer: Nets' Williams Gets Some Help February 29, 2012, 12:11 am Deron Williams may very well choose to sign with the Mavericks when he becomes a free agent. But on Tuesday night, he was still a member of the Nets, and he helped his team beat the defending champions in their own arena. It has been a strange season for Williams. His forthright nature has led to plenty of moments of candor as he questioned his teammates and made it clear he would leave after the season if things did not improve. At times his honesty has come across almost like disdain for the players he shares a locker room with, which is unusual even in an era of superstars who force trades. This week was no different as he talked glowingly of Dallas's arena, while pointing out that the crowds in New Jersey fail to impress. But Tuesday was something truly unusual for Williams in his tenure with the Nets: Not only did the team win, but he was not the star of the game. Williams dished out 12 assists, but he was limited to 12 points on 3-of-15 shooting from the field. Brook Lopez, the team's center who recently returned from a broken foot, stole the show with 38 points, including the go-ahead free throw with 42 seconds left. Kris Humphries, who has averaged a double-double for the season despite frequent boos, scored 10 and pulled down 15 rebounds. Anthony Morrow chipped in 15 points from the bench and even Gerald Green, signed today from the N.B.A."s Development League, scored 10 points in 19 minutes. One night would hardly be enough to convince a star like Williams that he should stay in New Jersey. But maybe it will be enough for him to tone down his negative comments, focus on basketball, and worry about where he'll be playing next season once this season is actually over.