Jazz edge pesky Timberwolves

Rookie Deron Williams weathered the bad times, when Utah Jazz coach Jerry Sloan didn't play him much or played him at the off-guard more than at his natural point position.

The last three weeks, it seems the tough love has paid off. Whether Sloan really meant to use the Army approach of tearing a recruit down and then building him back up, the effect has been the same.

"I'm confident right now. My confidence is night and day from what it was a couple months ago," said Williams Wednesday night after the most productive offensive night of his young career coupled with a boxscore-filling game from Andrei Kirilenko helped the 30-31 Jazz to a 96-93 win over the 26-34 Minnesota Timberwolves in the Delta Center.

"He fought through that (tough times)," Sloan said of Williams, who made a career-high five 3-pointers, tied his career high with 24 points, added seven assists with no turnovers and, most importantly, acted pretty much like a veteran point guard as Utah fought to stay ahead of the 'Wolves.

Sloan left him in for nearly 43 minutes. He did miss a few late shots but made one of two free throws with six seconds left to ensure Minnesota would have to make a 3-pointer to tie, and it didn't.

"I think he's a better basketball player now, and that's the most important thing for him," Sloan said. "Williams had one of his better games offensively."

His threes and penetrations by Williams and Milt Palacio helped break up the zone Minnesota used, the defense that has often given Utah big problems.

"I'm confident right now," Williams reiterated, even adding the "P" word to his vocabulary. "I want to make the playoffs."

Many have wondered if this team does want to get to the postseason, the way it plays so hot and cold, and it had some moments Wednesday where Sloan told the players to do something in timeouts and they forgot, or at least didn't do it. "At times we have a hearing problem," Sloan said, noting the breakdowns leave the Jazz having "to take pot luck" in the offense.

Williams was there with the luck. At least he said he's had some luck recently.

Somewhat coinciding with a Williams eight-game streak in which he has scored in double figures, the Jazz have won six of their last nine.

Sloan was a bit touchy that that hasn't been mentioned amid the turmoil of losing 20-point leads, losing to teams buried deep in the standings and the owner's Monday complaints.