Utah Jazz rookie guard continues to impress

Following the Utah Jazz's 104-91 win over Toronto, Eric Maynor was welcomed into the locker room by a loud fan club.

"E-May!" bellowed Carlos Boozer. "Yo, dog! I'm trying to give you some love."

The love Boozer gave — in a glowing postgame comment — was well-deserved.

Yet again.

"He continues to impress me," added Jazz point guard Deron Williams. "He's playing great, composed. He's making plays. It takes a lot of pressure off a lot of people."

Especially, lately, off of Williams.

This was the third game in a row that the rookie point guard played poised and excelled while logging big-time minutes. The Virginia Commonwealth product played the final 14:59 of the game and teamed with Williams to make a formidable backcourt.

The Jazz's first-round pick scored 15 points, dished out six assists and answered questions about whether or not he could co-exist and find playing time with Williams back in action.

Maynor was a pleasant surprise on the Jazz's recent road trip, helping Utah win in Philadelphia with a double-double and then following that up with a 24-point career-high-scoring night in a last-minute loss at Cleveland.

He started both of those road games because Williams was absent to attend to a family medical situation with his young daughter in Utah.

This time, he was clutch when the Jazz needed a boost with Williams on the court.

After Toronto trimmed an 18-point lead to one early in the fourth quarter, Maynor hit a free throw, assisted on an Andrei Kirilenko layup, sank a short running jumper, added a couple more freebies and scored on a fast break to return the lead to double digits at 89-79.

"I've got two words," Boozer said. "Eric Maynor."

Boozer actually couldn't contain himself to that many complimentary words.

"Eric's been playing great, man," he added. "He's stepped in. He's got swag... He's got confidence. When he comes in the game, he knows what he's supposed to do out there and does a great job of doing it."

"Eric," added Jerry Sloan, "gave us a big lift."