Williams sprains ankle during warmups

The Jazz beat Chicago on Monday night without rookie backup point guard Deron Williams, who sprained his left ankle during pre-game warmups.

It's the first game missed this season due to an ankle sprain for Williams, who said earlier this season that he has a history of weak ankles dating back to his days at the University of Illinois.

He also sprained an ankle when the Jazz visited Chicago in November but returned when the Jazz played next.

As expected, the Jazz also played Monday without Gordan Giricek (Achilles tendinitis), Carlos Boozer (strained hamstring), Robert Whaley (arthroscopic knee surgery) and Andre Owens (tibia stress fracture).

That left just 10 healthy players on Utah's 12-man active roster, and Jazz coach Jerry Sloan used all 10.

Boozer, who has not played since last Feb. 14 due to injuries, said he hopes to play Friday at Minnesota if he can make it through practices Wednesday and Thursday.

Williams' status for Friday is uncertain.

Giricek, Whaley and Owens remain out indefinitely.

Chicago's absentees, meanwhile, included guard Chris Duhon (bruised thigh) and swingman Eric Piatkowski (swollen foot).

The Bulls dressed just 11.

OW: ESPN.com's John Hollinger recently named Jazz guard Devin Brown to his "All-Train Wreck" team — a collection of what he calls this season's "most disappointing players."

In the process he took a shot at the Jazz's Milt Palacio, who has been starting at shooting guard in place of the injured Giricek.

Wrote Hollinger, who noted Brown's shooting percentage is down and his turnovers are up: "Brown left (San Antonio) for Utah but forgot to take his game with him. . . . It's been so bad he was passed over for a (starting assignment) in favor of Milt Palacio."

Brown is joined on the dubious-honor team by Washington's Antonio Daniels, Milwaukee's Desmond Mason, Cleveland's Larry Hughes, Cleveland's Damon Jones, Cleveland's Donyell Marshall, San Antonio's Michael Finley, San Antonio's Brent Barry and New Orleans/Oklahoma City's Jamaal Magloire.

TRADE TALK: According to the Denver Post, "With four point guards on the roster, look for the Timberwolves to attempt to deal two of them. Expect recently acquired Marcus Banks to stay, because Minnesota is intrigued by him. The Wolves are open to trading Marko Jaric in the right deal. But Minnesota's preference is to trade Anthony Carter and (ex-Jazz guard) Troy Hudson."