Utah Jazz notebook: Earl Watson and Ronnie Price filling bigger roles

SALT LAKE CITY — They go together like mashed potatoes and gravy.

A small scoop here, a little ladle there — nice combo to complement the main course, Earl Watson and Ronnie Price are.

Such were the sentiments again Wednesday night, when the Jazz's backup point guard and reserve combo guard — not exactly a towering pair at a listed 6-foot-1 and 6-2, respectively — helped spark a Thanksgiving Eve win over the New Orleans Hornets.

The two have made a habit lately of offering quick-paced play off the bench, and inspiring fellow subs to do the same.

"We're made up to play up-tempo," sixth man swingman C.J. Miles said. "We have two point guards (Watson and Price) in the game; from the time (opponents) pick the ball up we pressure the ball, and we get out and run."

Teammates, especially starters, appreciate the effort — and hope there is more of the same when the Los Angeles Lakers visit tonight.

"It helps a lot," All-Star point guard Deron Williams said. "Essentially we haven't lost anything with that second unit. We've actually gotten better."

"The second unit is really important to us," center Al Jefferson added. "It is amazing how well they're playing right now."

OFF GUARD: Williams has been playing on occasion at shooting guard next to Watson in the fourth quarter.

It happened last Saturday, when Utah won at Portland — a game coached by longtime assistant Phil Johnson because head coach Jerry Sloan was attending a family funeral. And it happened for a stretch Wednesday, again at Johnson's behest.

"Phil suggested we put (Williams) at the 2-guard position, and Earl did a terrific job running our offense and getting the ball to D-Will," Sloan said.

ELSON'S ROLE: Reserve big man Francisco Elson's eight points against New Orleans on Wednesday — all scored in the first half — were a season-high.

Beyond the scoring, Elson was commended by Sloan for his "excellent" defensive effort against Hornets big David West — specifically for trying "to keep him away from the basket."

"He was hurting us some, obviously, in the first quarter," Sloan said of West, who scored 10 of his 15 points in the opening period. "But Fran did a pretty good job on him whenever he played him."

Elson has been playing off the bench in the regular rotation at both power forward and center.