Deron Williams received a third set of cortisone injections in both ankles Thursday and expects to receive an additional dose before the playoffs.

“It’s what I’m used to all season,” Williams said after shooting 5-for-17 in a106-96 loss to the Houston Rockets on Friday night.
“At the start of the game, they felt as good as they’ve felt. As the game goes on, they get weaker and weaker,” said Williams who acknowledged lift on his shot is pretty much the stuff of dreams. “I’m just kind of used to that set shot all year because I know they’re going to hurt. And that’s not how I shoot. It’s tough to get out of that mentality.”

Williams doesn’t want to miss any more games after sitting out two earlier this month.

“It’s tough because we’re in a position where we lose a couple games we slip to sixth or seventh [in the East],” Williams said. “We win a couple and we’re up to second so I need to be out there as much as possible.”