Utah Jazz notebook: Marvin Williams eyes return Monday vs. Miami

AUBURN HILLS, Mich. — Marvin Williams was looking forward to getting back to Utah after the Utah Jazz's three-game road trip.

The small forward, who didn't play while Utah was away in order to give his inflamed right knee time to respond to treatment, has rested long enough.

"(Sunday) I'll get in there. I'll get a good, tough workout. As long as everything goes (well), I'm hoping for Monday," Williams said. "I definitely feel much better."

Williams has missed four games because of the injury, which could continue to nag at him until he gives it extended time off.

Williams is encouraged after having twice received treatment — once before missing the Clippers game Dec. 30 and again last week. The medical staff's procedure included injections to dull his pain.

The 26-year-old said he "definitely" rushed back too soon after sitting out just one game following the initial injury a couple of weeks ago. Williams then played through the discomfort for 12 games before the training staff and coaches decided it'd be best for him to sit out this past road trip to recover even more.

"I never really healed from it," said Williams, who's never had knee problems prior to this instance. "It's going to be one of those things I'm going to have to fight the rest of the season."

He doesn't think his knee will need surgery, though.

"I'm not worried about that," he said. "It's just one of those things, man, where I'm just going to have to give it some time to rest. Obviously, right now I don't have time."

Jazz coach Tyrone Corbin admitted the Jazz miss the "speed and size" of both Marvin and Mo Williams. The point guard has another five weeks before being re-evaluated after having his thumb surgically repaired.

Williams will be re-evaluated Sunday in Utah.

"Marvin's coming around," Corbin said. "We'll see when we get back."

MORE MILLSAP? As is happening more frequently with his team full of free agents to be, Corbin was asked how Paul Millsap is coping with his impending contract situation and future uncertainty.

"He's handled it great. His focus has been on here and now," Corbin said. "He's a Utah Jazz and he's a great member of our family and we want to support him. We like him here."

Millsap, who had 17 points and seven rebounds in Utah's 90-87 comeback win at Detroit on Saturday, has played the first seven seasons with the Jazz.

Corbin hopes there are more to come.

"We'd love to keep him here," Corbin said. "But the only thing he can control right now is his play on the floor and he's done a great job just focusing on trying to play and help us win games."

POINT-GUARD-A-PALOOZA: Jamaal Tinsley started Saturday's game against Detroit, but didn't play in the second half. Alec Burks played well against the Pistons, but didn't finish.

And Earl Watson filled in the gaps between, helping the Jazz post a much-needed comeback win.

Tinsley played just six minutes in the first half but was sick and didn't get back onto the court after halftime. Watson played the entire third quarter, when he had five of his six assists in helping Utah erase a 15-point lead and take its own three-point lead into the fourth quarter.

Burks, who played sparingly in Friday's loss at Atlanta, then played for most of the fourth quarter before being subbed out for Watson in the final two minutes after losing the ball to Detroit's Will Bynum.

"He's a veteran guy and I thought Alec was a little tired," Corbin said of his decision to take Burks out in favor of Watson. "(Burks) played for an extended amount of time. He got knocked down to the floor when Bynum took the ball from (him), so I wanted to get a fresher body in there and a veteran guy who was a true point just to get us up the floor and get us into something."

Burks finished with 12 points on 5-for-7 shooting, three rebounds and two assists to go with three turnovers. Watson added six dimes, two points, one steal and two turnovers.

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