Utah Jazz: Team stays focused on task at hand

HOUSTON — Deron Williams wasn't about to bite.

In fact, the Jazz point guard on Monday claimed not to know what was in store for the Jazz — a much-anticipated second-round meeting with the Los Angeles Lakers — should they close out their first-round NBA playoff series against the Houston Rockets with a victory tonight.

"I don't look past tomorrow," Williams said when asked about the benefits of getting some rest before facing what awaits, which would require polishing off the Rockets in Game 5 of the best-of-seven series and not having to return to Utah for a Game 6 on Friday.

"I don't know the schedule," he added. "I don't know who we're playing next. It's just the Houston Rockets."

Don't buy it?

Doesn't matter to Williams.

"I don't care what you believe," he said.

Carlos Boozer, however, trusts good fortune is in the Jazz's future.

Ask him about the Lakers, and the All-Star power forward not only nibbles, he chews and clenches.

"I would like us to win (tonight) and the Lakers to win (against Denver) so that we can get that series going," he said before L.A. went into Monday night's late game against the Nuggets up 3-0. "That would be great.

"We'd like to move on," Boozer added, "and get ready for the next round."

The sooner the better, in most Jazz minds.

"When you have the opportunity to close someone out, you need to take advantage of that opportunity," shooting guard Ronnie Brewer said. "We had the opportunity to go up 3-0 and we let that slip through our fingers. We had urgency in Game 4 not to lose homecourt advantage, and that's the kind of urgency we need (tonight)."

If they do lose tonight but win Game 6, it's possible the Jazz will have to open Western Conference semifinal play on Sunday in L.A. — with a few as 36 hours or so in-between games.

But if they take care of business tonight, at least a few days' rest is in store.

"The earlier the better," Williams did concede when asked about clinching the series.

Whenever, the Jazz do have to rid themselves of Tracy McGrady and the Rockets before they can move on to Kobe Bryant and the Lakers.

They know it, and — if nothing else — learned the hard way with a Game 3 loss in Utah that nothing can be taken for granted.

"People think it would be easy to win the next game," Jazz coach Jerry Sloan said. "But it's tough to close out a series."

"We'd like to finish it, but we know it's going to be a tall task," Boozer added. "They are a very good team at home."

That established, the Jazz feel quite confident themselves when it comes to playing in Houston.