Williams plays despite back and calf injuries

BOSTON — On Wednesday morning, Deron Williams indicated he probably wouldn't play.

On Wednesday night, he did.

"I felt pretty good," said Williams, who logged 33 minutes in a loss at Boston despite missing practice Tuesday and shootaround Wednesday because of a strained back that got worse overnight.

The Jazz's starting point guard also has a bruised left calf.

"You know, once I got in there it (the back) loosened up," he added. "When I sit, it stiffens up. But it felt pretty good compared to where it was this morning."

Williams was so sore Tuesday night he slept on the floor in the room at the Jazz's luxury hotel here, but he visited with Celtics-recommended chiropractor Tim Morgan for about two hours Wednesday afternoon.

"I had been staying in bed," Williams said. "I thought resting was the best thing for it."

But, he added, Morgan "said movement was the best thing for it, so after I worked with him I (didn't) really lay down or anything."

Instead, he stretched and went through his usual pre-game routine — then wound up with four assists and 13 points with 5-for-11 field shooting.

"I thought he played OK," Jazz coach Jerry Sloan said. "I mean, I can't worry if you're out there on the floor. That's not the reason we lost."

Williams played partly because his backup, Ronnie Price, was out with a sprained left toe sustained in Monday night's win at New York.

Williams on Wednesday was able to pinpoint his back troubles to a play in the Knicks game as well.

"It was right before the half, when I got (Chris) Duhon up in the air," he said. "He landed on me, and I kind of strained it.

"When I got up from that play, that's when my back started tightening up. ... That was a couple seconds before the half, and it was just tight when I went back to the locker room."

Visiting Morgan on Wednesday helped tremendously, suggested Williams, who gets adjusted before every home game and on some off days while in Utah by Jazz team chiropractor Bruce Nielson.

"He's the greatest," said Williams, who jokingly relayed a message to Jazz general manager Kevin O'Connor that Nielson should be on the Jazz's current road trip.

The Jazz do travel with a full-time massage therapist, but Nielson travels only occasionally, schedule permitting and as warranted.