Utah Jazz notebook: Team not putting in effort on defense

PHILADELPHIA — The Jazz's defense in Wednesday night's 105-86 loss at Boston was as bad as it looked, coach Jerry Sloan suggested Thursday.

"We had one of our worst ratings on our defensive stuff as we've had all year," said Sloan, whose Jazz are yielding 102.8 points per game this season.

And it's not because they didn't know what to do.

"I think they have a pretty good idea," the Jazz coach said. "It's just taking the effort to get it done. Its not like we've changed a lot of stuff."

Deron Williams concurred.

"Especially with all the emphasis on defense, talk about defense, we haven't put much of an effort up," Williams said.

"We have principles," the Jazz point guard added Thursday. "Everybody knows the principles. They haven't changed. Coach Sloan hasn't changed his principles. So, we've just got to get everybody on the same page."

It really does boil down to commitment and willingness — from everyone — according to Sloan, whose 3-5 Jazz visit Philadelphia tonight.

"Defense is where the effort comes in," he said. "I don't think there was a player out there that didn't get beat in some shape, form or fashion."

WILLIAMS UPDATE: On Tuesday night, his back was so sore he slept on the floor of the Jazz's luxury hotel in Boston.

On Wednesday night, after a two-hour visit with a chiropractor and 33 minutes of 13-point action in Utah's 105-86 loss to the Boston Celtics, Williams graduated to the bed.

Between the adjustments and a decent night's sleep, he seemed to be moving as well Thursday as he has since hurting his back in the first half of Monday night's win at New York.

"It was feeling a lot better (Wednesday), and it feels a lot better today," Williams said on Thursday morning. "I've been moving around a lot more instead of just laying in bed, so it feels better."

Williams also has a bruised left calf that's been bothering him.

"It's not that bad either," he said Thursday. "It's starting to feel better."

Williams didn't take part in all of practice Thursday at Suffolk University in Boston, but he did warm up and shoot.

The Jazz were calling him "probable" for tonight's game here against Philadelphia.

PRICE OUT: Backup point Ronnie Price, however, did not practice Thursday and according to the Jazz will not play tonight vs. the 76ers.

Price indicated Thursday that his sprained left big toe, which was injured in the second quarter of Monday night's game at New York and kept him out of Wednesday night's loss at Boston, wasn't getting any better.

TRAVEL DAY: The Jazz practiced Thursday morning in Boston and flew to Philly in the afternoon in advance of tonight's outing, the third in a four-game Eastern road swing that ends Saturday night at Cleveland.

HE TWEETED IT: Williams, before leaving Boston for Philadelphia: "Packing getting ready to go to Philly! Gotta get me a cheesesteak! What's the best spot? Had Pats last yr! Ok but no fries?"

e-mail: tbuckley@desnews.com

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