Utah Jazz: Williams paces team to preseason win

PORTLAND, Ore. — With combo guard Ronnie Price missing a third preseason straight game due to a hamstring strain, it's looking more and more likely Eric Maynor may open the 2009-10 NBA season backing up starter Deron Williams at the point.

Just don't expect to see too much of the rookie too soon, Jerry Sloan warns.

"Obviously I think he's done a pretty good job trying to do that," Sloan said Tuesday.

"But Deron's going to play more minutes than what he has in the exhibition season," the Jazz coach added, "so you're not looking at him (Maynor) 20 minutes a night like he's been playing."

Based on how he's looked so far in the preseason, in fact, it seems as if the Jazz wouldn't want more than a moment or two to go by without Williams on the floor.

The 2008 gold medal-winning United States Olympic Team point scored a game-high 27 points in the Jazz's 108-97 exhibition victory Tuesday night over Portland at the Rose Garden, their fifth win in seven preseason games so far.

The victory means a third straight exhibition season with a winning record for Utah, which also has had non-losing preseasons for 18 of 19 years including this one — with a 2-5 mark in 2005 being the lone exception.

Williams came into the night averaging 15.7 points and 5.8 assists in 25.7 minutes per game, and — though Maynor again finished — he had his flashiest and busiest outing by far in the Jazz's second win of the preseason over Portland.

Williams shot 8-for-12 from the field, including 2-for-4 from 3-point range, in 30 minutes. He also hit 9-of-10 from the free-throw line, making him 39-of-41 in the preseason.

His need to score — mostly by driving the lane — was prompted mostly by Portland's play against the point, and he passed the test with little problem.

"He's got pressure out there on him, and he always knows that he's got the opportunity to try to get on top of the basket," Sloan said afterward. "Because you can't just let the guy eat you alive and stay on perimeter all the time.

"You've got to let him know you're gonna get around him. Otherwise, he's gonna be chopping you all the way down the floor."