Brewer becoming a finisher for Utah Jazz

CHARLOTTE, N.C. — Last season, his second in the NBA and first as a full-time starter, Ronnie Brewer was a mostly first- and third-quarter guy whose playing time averaged less than 28 minutes per game.

This season, though, his minutes have soared — into the 30s for three straight games, and four of the five.

Accident?

Quite the contrary.

It seems to be precisely the course Jazz coach Jerry Sloan has mapped out for Brewer, a 2006 late lottery pick whose defensive desire and nose for the ball is trumping an erratic outside shooting stroke.

"You can see Coach gain more and more trust in him," Jazz point guard Deron Williams said.

Sloan indicated as much when addressing earlier this week why Brewer has been finishing games for the now 6-2 Jazz and not backup Kyle Korver, who most frequently closed at the 2 spot following his arrival from Philadelphia via trade late last December.

"I thought (Brewer) did a pretty good job defensively," he said after the Jazz beat Philadelphia last Tuesday in the second outing of a five-game trip that continues tonight at Charlotte. "You know, we don't have the luxury of just putting a guy out there and letting him shoot and not guard anybody."

Sloan played Brewer 38 minutes in Philly while Korver logged just 18, then played Brewer another 33 and Korver 24 in Wednesday's loss at Washington.

Brewer shot 0-for-8 through three quarters Tuesday, but wound up scoring all 16 of his points in the fourth as Utah rallied. He added another 10 points against the Wizards, but hit just 3-of-9 from the field.

Yet Sloan didn't seem as concerned about the shooting numbers as all the others, including nine assists, six boards and four steals against the 76ers.

"He's a little better defender, he's a little longer, he's able to rebound a little better," Sloan said of Brewer, who also had five assists and a couple steals in Washington. "He should be able to rebound. He's got athletic ability to do that."

More and more, then, Brewer is developing into a full-time shooting guard who not only starts but also closes — while Korver, who admittedly is struggling, is settling into something of a more-traditional backup role.