"I know Boozer has a lot to prove this year, and he's playing like it," Williams added, aware the Jazz's scoring and rebounding leader this season has missed much of the past two with injuries. "He was upset last year about not being able to play, and not being with us. Then all the people were talking about how he was faking injuries, and things like that — and then you see what he's doing now. He came out with a vengeance."

Williams and Harpring finished similarly.

With the Jazz still up just one and less than five minutes to go, Harpring scored with a nicely delivered Andrei Kirilenko pass and added a 15-footer to make it 73-68.

After San Antonio sharpshooter Bruce Bowen hit one of his five 3-pointers to get the Spurs back within two, Williams responded. He sliced and twisted his way through the lane for a layup, and followed with one of his own four treys.

San Antonio point Tony Parker made a layup to keep the Spurs close, but after Harpring drove the baseline with the follow of his own miss and Mehmet Okur knocked down a trey, the Jazz were able to take satisfaction in meeting Fisher's challenge.

"We respect Fish so much because of all he's accomplished," Williams said of Fisher, who spent most of his career with the team the Jazz visit tonight, the Los Angeles Lakers. "He's won three championships. He's a great guy. He's a lockerroom guy. He's a leader. He's meant so much to this team — and for him to come out and say that, I think it hit guys and made them realize what we need to do ... and (that) we can't take nights off like we have the last two (games)."

Cannot, in other words, leave themselves susceptible to being trashed by critics.

"We have a team that in recent years has gone through tough times after getting off to good starts — from injuries, and other things that have kind of eaten away at the fabric of the team," Fisher, knowing the Jazz finished with just 26 wins after opening 6-1 two seasons ago, said in explaining why he chose Wednesday to show off his 2002 title ring. "So, there's no sense getting into any worse spot than we were already in. You know — catch it early.... I'm glad it helped."

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E-mail: tbuckley@desnews.com