DENVER — Deron Williams is ready to start the season. Has been for quite some time now.

But just in case his two backups aren't, and there's a slim but nevertheless possible chance of that, the Jazz had a good test at the Pepsi Center here for their likely emergency-role reserve point guard.

Usual swingman C.J. Miles filled the bill Wednesday night, scoring 13 points, dishing seven assists and hitting two free throws with 8.4 seconds remaining in regulation to force overtime in an eventual 120-119 exhibition loss to the Denver Nuggets.

It was the first time since his days at Skyline High School in Dallas that the now 21-year-old fourth-year NBA pro has played the position in an actual game — granted, a preseason one.

"It's been a while," said Miles, a second-round selection in the 2005 NBA Draft who signed a new four-year, nearly $15 million contract in the offseason. "But he (Jazz coach Jerry Sloan) put me there; I just tried to handle to it. I think it was a good experience for me, a game like that."

Miles came in after free agent guard Gerry McNamara — who is not expected to make the team — and because would-be reserve points Brevin Knight (sprained thumb) and Ronnie Price (bruised leg) both were out with injuries.

Price may play when the Jazz resume their preseason road schedule Friday vs. Chicago in Champaign, Ill., but Knight is dubbed "doubtful" by the team for its next two exhibition games.

So the pop quiz was worth it, even if it helps Miles as he tries to win a starting job at his usual spot, shooting guard.

"Being put in that point guard position," he said, "calmed me down a lot, being knowing that I'm the one with the ball the whole time, they're looking at me, I can't be out there panicking, going 100 miles an hour."

Miles did commit four turnovers, among a whopping 26 by the Jazz — including 14 from members of the starting lineup. One in particular he wished he could take back, a late-in-regulation pass to guard Morris Almond on a backdoor play that came just a second late.

He also wound up with six stitches over his right eye, courtesy of an accidental elbow from free-agent teammate Kevin Lyde on a rub play late in the second quarter.

And he slipped face-first to the floor after catching a piece of defender Linas Kleiza's foot late in overtime, squandering an opportunity to tie the game at 118 and essentially ending the Jazz's OT hopes.

Kleiza later hit two free throws to give the Nuggets a lead Utah did not have enough time to overcome.

Still, all in all, Sloan deemed the learning experience one worth enduring.

"Those are things you have to learn how to do," he said, "is try to get everybody in an offense so we get decent shots."

Williams, meanwhile, did plenty of that, finishing with eight assists and 22 points with 8-of-11 field shooting as the Nuggets won despite not having injured guard Allen Iverson.

"I think he's probably fairly close," Sloan said of Williams' readiness for the 2008-09 NBA regular season, which for the Jazz opens Oct. 29 vs. these very same Nuggets. "He's probably the most-consistent player right now. But we still had way too many turnovers."

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E-mail: tbuckley@desnews.com