Utah Jazz hope Deron Williams plays Sunday

SALT LAKE CITY — Only one Utah Jazz player remains eligible to join the exclusive 82-game club.

Begrudgingly, Deron Williams lost his chance to play a complete regular season when he was forced to sit out Friday against Minnesota because of his hyper-extended right wrist.

Veteran Earl Watson filled in for Williams, who was the only Jazz player other than Al Jefferson to have played in every game this season.

And D-Will was not at all thrilled an injury forced him to sit this one out — in what turned out to be a skid-snapping 108-100 win — after re-aggravating his wrist in Wednesday's game.

"I feel like I can't hold the ball. If I could play, I could play," Williams said after Friday morning's shootaround. "I'm not one of them people that sits out for little injuries. My goal every year is to play 82 games, so I'm (ticked) off I can't play.

"(But) I can't play."

The team is not sure if Williams will be available for Sunday night's game at Golden State.

"We hope we get him back as soon as we can," Jazz coach Jerry Sloan said. "Losing doesn't taste very good."

The Jazz received some good news on Williams' wrist, which caused him problems last season as well. An MRI taken on the injured wrist on Thursday revealed no structural damage, according to the team's medical staff.

Sporting a snazzy suit, Williams sat next to assistant coach Scott Layden on the Jazz bench and cheered on his teammates Friday night.

INJURY REPORT CONTINUED: Center Mehmet Okur's status for Sunday is also unknown. He left Friday's game in the first half and did not return because of a strained lower back. That injury kept the 6-foot-11 backup out of six games in the past month.

While quickly leaving the locker room after the game, Okur briefly said his back "tightened up" on him.

Also, backup big man Kyrylo Fesenko missed his third consecutive contest with a sinus infection.

Starters Paul Millsap (thumb) and Raja Bell (sore neck/left shoulder) were game-time decisions but played Friday.

EVANS IMPRESSING: Jazz management had no choice but to give second-round pick Jeremy Evans a guaranteed contract after he wowed them with his athleticism and work ethic.

Now the Western Kentucky product is giving the Jazz coaching staff no choice but to play him, too.