Utah Jazz close despite James' big night

Afterward, Deron Williams still was numb.

And not just from the stinger delivered on a brutal — albeit clean, according to Williams — backscreen courtesy of Ben Wallace.

Rather, what really had Williams hurting Saturday night was that even with superstar LeBron James scoring a game-high 33 points and pulling down a team-high 14 rebounds, the Jazz still had hope late into an eventual 102-97 loss to the Cleveland Cavaliers at EnergySolutions Arena.

"One of the best teams in the NBA comes in here and beat us," said Williams, who — despite a strained right trapezius muscle — is "probable" for tonight's important visit to Northwest Division-rival Denver.

"We were right there," Williams added. "We had chances."

Instead of capitalizing, however, the Jazz watched the Cavs take control down the stretch — and saw their season-game home winning streak come to a close.

What they were really kicking themselves over, though, was yet another struggle at the start as the Cavs took a 33-23 opening-quarter lead.

"Again," said coach Jerry Sloan, whose 25-19 club has lost four of its last six outings, "we had a difficult time getting out of the box and being able to run the floor.

"We were kind of lost on defense, and really didn't seem to have the desire to want to win the ballgame.

"Once the first quarter was over," he added, "it looked like we got back and started competing a little bit more and not accept(ing) the fact that was once they knocked us around we were gonna lay on the floor and feel sorry for ourselves."

The Jazz did seem to pout a bit as James, who came up one assist shy of a triple-double, put on a show.

And understandably so.

From a mindboggling alley-oop dunk in the second half that was delivered by ex-Jazz guard Mo Williams from just a step or two over the halfcourt line to a monster dunk late in the third quarter fed by another former Jazz guard, Sasha Pavlovic, LeBron entertained throughout.

"He always does," Williams said. "That's why he's arguably the greatest player in the game right now."

Not everyone in the Jazz locker room necessarily agreed with that assessment.

But there was no denying just how much impact James had.