MIAMI: Derrick Williams’ biggest lesson during the previous nine games he’s played with the Cavaliers likely came Wednesday night in Boston.
The Cavs had a 92-90 lead on the Celtics with 2:56 remaining, but Williams drove to the basket on two consecutive possessions and picked up two charging calls. The Celtics went on to pull out a 103-99 victory.
Williams knows what he should have done.
“I was mad at myself — I should have shot the open 3,” Williams said Friday night after the Cavs’ victory over the Hawks at Philips Arena.
That’s what superstars like LeBron James have been telling Williams since he signed the first of two 10-day contracts with the Cavs on Feb. 9. On Saturday, Williams’ hard work was rewarded as the Cavs signed him for the remainder of the season.
“When you’ve got guys like that telling you to shoot, the confidence just goes through the roof,” Williams said of James.
Playing with his fifth team in six years in the NBA, the second overall pick by the Minnesota Timberwolves in the 2011 draft carried a career 3-point percentage of .298 going into Saturday night’s game at American Airlines Arena. In 25 games with the Miami Heat, who waived him on Feb. 6, he shot 20 percent from beyond the arc.
But in his short stint with the Cavs, he’d connected on .429 (12-of-28) going into Saturday. His previous best season in that category came in 2012-13 with the Timberwolves, when he shot .332 from long range.
Heat coach Erik Spoelstra is happy to see how Williams is flourishing with the Cavs.
“Even in a situation like this, we are here to serve and help players hopefully become who they have always dreamed about becoming,” Spoelstra said before Saturday’s game against the Cavs. “I didn’t necessarily work out exactly how either party wanted it with Derrick, but we enjoyed it. He’s a hard guy not to like. We invested a lot of time with him.
‘‘We think he got better within the structure we have here. He’s in terrific shape. I think he wanted to be pushed to see what he could be. Then he went to a perfect situation.”
On Friday night, Williams praised the Heat’s trainers and strength and conditioning staff for getting him ready to be “thrown into the fire” with the Cavs.
Williams seems to be reverting back to his form from his two years at the University of Arizona, when he hit .511 from beyond the arc (.586 overall) in 69 games while averaging 17.8 points.
“Yeah, I can shoot. I’m not worried about makes and misses,” Williams said. “I’ve had ups, I’ve had downs. I had games where I hit six 3s, I’ve had games when I’ve been 0-of-5. It’s more about confidence. Whenever you have some of the guys in this locker room telling me to ‘Shoot, shoot, shoot,’ and it’s like if I don’t shoot, people are looking at me sideways.”
Williams connected on three from long range Friday night as the Cavs set the NBA regular-season record for most 3-pointers in a game with 25. He hit No. 22, equalling the Cavs’ regular-season franchise best with 8:02 to go.
“We ran one of the same sets that we did in Boston and I just found him and he just stepped up and knocked it down,” James said. “It’s all about growth mindset.”
James Jones doesn’t seem surprised at Williams’ long-distance prowess.
“If you track Derrick, that’s always been something that was intriguing,” Jones said. “Coming out of college, they knew he shot the 3 ball well, he had great form. Being in the position where he can receive catch-and-shoot 3s, he doesn’t have to create his own, it opens up his game.
“He’s a dangerous slasher, driver and he can put it down both ways. The fact that he’s able to stop up and shoot rhythm 3s, with a guy as talented as he is, there’s no surprise he excels at it because he works at it.”
Jones knew Williams was hard on himself after the turnovers against the Celtics.
“This is probably the most spot-up jumpers he’s ever seen. He’s playing with great playmakers all the way around. It comes with time,” Jones said.
“The habits you form when you’re trying to figure out how to win are totally different than the habits that you form when you’re winning. He’s made progress over the last few weeks.
“I suspect as he watches film and gets more accustomed to being in those situations, we’ll have to tell him to stop.”
Prepping Bogut
The Cavs signed big man Andrew Bogut on Thursday, but he didn’t join the team on its three-game trip that ended Saturday. Coach Tyronn Lue said they will use Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday to get Bogut up to speed.
Another three-city trip begins Thursday at Detroit.
“I know it’s going to be tough, but he’s a smart player and he’ll pick it up,” Lue said.
“It’s not a lot of different sets we run. Our sets are traditionally in the NBA, anyway, outside of after-timeout plays.”
Lue said Bogut will play Monday night at home against Miami.
Still ailing
Lue said he wasn’t feeling much better with the illness he’s battled for perhaps a week.
“I can’t really hear y’all. That’s the hardest part. I can’t hear,” he said.
Marla Ridenour can be reached at mridenour@thebeaconjournal.com. Read her blog at www.ohio.com/marla. Follow her on Twitter at www.twitter.com/MRidenourABJ.