Utah Jazz: Williams, Sloan dish out praise to backup Price
But he had no idea it would last nearly five minutes.
"Coach (Jerry Sloan) wanted me to go back (for the start of) the fourth, and I said, 'No, I'm gonna rest for a couple,'" said Williams, the Jazz's starting point guard. "I wasn't planning on resting (four-plus), but he was playing so well, and the offense was playing so well, I just sat out while he was doing his thing.
"And he definitely has played great in this series," Williams added. "He's given us a lot of energy, he's diving for loose balls, he's making hustle plays, blocking people's shots. I mean, he's playing great."
Sloan also was praising the Utah Valley State product profusely on Monday, including the hustle he displayed while racing back down the floor to block a Luke Walton layup attempt in Game 4.
"People look at numbers and baskets and stuff," the Jazz coach said, "but the last two games he's made a couple great plays that's really have been over and above what you expect out of players.
NO TURIAF SUSPENSION: Laker big man Ronny Turiaf, ejected with a flagrant-2 foul on Price in Game 4, will not be suspended for Wednesday's Game 5.
"No further action ... Stands as called," an NBA spokesman said via e-mail Monday night.
Jazz owner Larry H. Miller called (during a Sunday appearance on KSL-TV) for a suspension after watching a replay of the foul, but Price — who needed four stitches to close a cut over his right eye after hitting his head on the floor — didn't think one was warranted.
RIGHT BACK AT YA: Told Monday that Price had called him "the best point guard in the league," Williams responded, "Well, he's the best backup in the league then."
AGGRESSIVE DRIVERS: For the first time in the series, the Jazz in Game 4 made more trips to the free-throw line than the Lakers.
Utah hit 37-of-45 freebies compared to Los Angeles' 14-of-25.
Carlos Boozer said being "the aggressor" by strongly taking the ball to the basket paid off.
"We just kept trying to take it inside and go in the paint, whether it be on layups, fast breaks, post-ups ... That's the reason why we shot more free throws," the Jazz forward said. "If you put the onus on the refs, they're going to call calls if there's a foul there."
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