Utah Jazz: All eyes will be on Williams tonight

CHAMPAIGN, Ill. — It may not be all about point guard Deron Williams tonight, but a whole lot of it will be.

Even Jazz coach Jerry Sloan conceded as much following this morning's shootaround in advance of tonight's preseason game against the Chicago Bulls on the campus of Williams' old school, the University of Illinois.

"It's an exhibition, and obviously he may not play as many minutes as he would during the regular season," Sloan said of Williams, who helped lead the Illinois to the 2005 NCAA title game.

"But, obviously, if it's something the fans want to see, we'll put him out there a little bit more."

A crowd of more than 14,000 is expected tonight at Assembly Hall, including Illinois coach Bruce Weber and members of his current Illini club.

Still, Williams has his eyes focused mainly on the start of the NBA regular season — and doesn't want tonight's setting to prompt him and the Jazz to forget why they're here.

In fact, he doesn't expect his playing time to be much more than it was when he logged 25 minutes in Wednesday night's overtime exhibition loss at Denver.

"About the same; about 24 minutes," Williams said. "Try to keep the minutes the same. I don't plan on playing any more."

Meanwhile, backup center Jarron Collins (severe triceps inflammation) said Friday he won't play tonight or in Saturday night's exhibition against the Bulls in Chicago.

Ronnie Price (lower-leg contusion) may not play tonight for the Jazz either, but fellow reserve guard Brevin Knight (sprained thumb) probably will.

The Bulls, incidentally, arrive with a lineup that includes free-agent roster hopeful and ex-Jazz forward Roger Powell Jr. — one of Williams' former teammates at Illinois.

Powell has appeared in just one of three Chicago exhibition games, logging eight minutes and scoring two points in a preseason-opening loss to Dallas.

Former Jazz big man Michael Ruffin has been bothered by a sprained ankle sustained early in training camp, and has yet to play in a preseason game for the Bulls. He's listed as "doubtful" for tonight.

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E-mail: tbuckley@desnews.com