Deron Williams has said that the Brooklyn Nets believe that they are a better team than the Miami Heat this season.
The Nets have lost their last 13 games against their Eastern Conference rivals, who are also the current NBA champions.
The point guard told ESPN: "I don't know if we felt we were a better team than the Heat last year, and so I think in order for us to be able to beat them this year, we have to feel like we are a better team and we can beat them. And I think we do.
"We absolutely believe we're capable of competing with them and that's something we're going to want to be doing down the line, obviously, in the playoffs. So we're definitely anticipating a high-energy, important game.
"That is how you got to attack it if you want to win a championship. You got to feel like you are the best team."
The Nets host the Heat later today.
