Utah Jazz:Williams will sit at least 2 weeks

The calendar countdown has begun.

Point guard Deron Williams will be out at least two weeks because of his sprained ankle, the Jazz announced Monday.

That means he is expected to miss the team's 2008-09 NBA regular-season opener Oct. 29 against the Denver Nuggets.

And maybe more.

After performing an MRI exam Monday, team physician Dr. Lyle Mason determined Williams has a second-degree inversion sprain of the left ankle.

The MRI also showed all bone structures and tendons in and around the ankle to be normal.

According to the National Athletic Trainers' Association media guide, a second-degree sprain involves "partial tear of a ligament."

Ligament is a band of fibrous, joint-strengthening tissue connecting either bone to bone or bone to cartilage.

Timetable for Williams' return to action, according to a statement from the team, is "a minimum of two weeks."

That means Williams would miss not only the opener at EnergySolutions Arena but probably also a Nov. 1 home game against the Los Angeles Clippers — with a possible return either in a Nov. 3 visit with the Clippers at L.A. or Nov. 5 at home vs. Portland.

The trainers guide, though, also said an athlete with a second-degree ankle sprain could miss up to four weeks — meaning it's possible Williams could be out even deeper into November.

For some, though, the return can't be soon enough.

"We're still hoping Deron will be able to recover as quick as possible," backup Ronnie Price said Monday. "Everybody knows he's the engine of our team," forward Andrei Kirilenko added with regard to a point guard who averaged 18.8 points, 10.5 assists and 1.1 steals while not missing a game last season. "So we hope he gets well soon."

Jazz players aren't alone.

"We can't do anything about it other than hope he gets healthy as soon as possible, and go ahead and play," Jazz coach Jerry Sloan added Monday, before the diagnosis was made public.

"Our job still remains the same, regardless of who is here," Sloan added. "You've got to coach and try to get them to play the best we can. That's what everybody else does."

Williams — who was not available to discuss the injury prior to practice Monday — sprained the ankle in the first quarter of Saturday night's 88-80 win at Chicago, the Jazz's second-to-last game of the preseason.

He also will miss Thursday night's exhibition finale vs. Portland.

With Williams out, Sloan seems inclined to start Price with the Jazz's regular starters and to have swingman C.J. Miles bring the ball up while usual small forward Kirilenko plays a point-forward position with the second-teamers.

"I'm willing to play any position Coach wants me," Kirilenko said Monday.