What's this? Maynor joins Williams in backcourt for key points of game

By Jim Burton

Wed, 11/18/2009 - 11:51pm

SALT LAKE CITY -- Last weekend, rookie point guard Eric Maynor was asked to step in and play in place of Deron Williams.

On Wednesday, he stepped in and played alongside him.

Down to just nine available players, Williams had to play out of position for much of the Jazz's 104-91 victory over Toronto.

He started at the point, but moved to shooting guard when Maynor came off the bench late in the first quarter.

The two played well together and coach Jerry Sloan decided to use the combination again later in the game.

Both men played the entire fourth quarter, helping the Jazz to pull away with a critical 14-3 run.

"My confidence is sky-high," Maynor said. "Coach Sloan is believing in me, he's giving me a chance and just telling me to go play basketball. When somebody tells you that, the only thing you can do is just go play."

Williams, of course, is Utah's No. 1 point guard. In the past he has been less-than-thrilled about playing shooting guard. However, after Wednesday's game he said he enjoyed playing in the backcourt with Maynor.

"He's the kind of guy who can get me some shots, some open shots," he said. "That way I don't have to try to get everything myself. A lot of times that's what my shots are, just me creating for myself."

Williams scored 20 points and had nine assists. Maynor played 23 minutes off the bench, scoring 15 points and adding six assists.

GAME 11

Jazz 104, Raptors 91

BEST PLAY: With 6:52 left in the third quarter, Deron Williams used a cross-over dribble to buckle the knees of Raptors' point guard Jose Calderon. With Calderon on the floor, Williams drove left past Toronto's bench and scooped in a layup to give the Jazz a 69-62 lead.

BEST LINE: In a losing effort, Toronto's Chris Bosh scores 32 points and pulls down 17 rebounds.

KEY STAT: The Raptors were held to just 24 percent shooting (5-for-21) from the field in the fourth quarter.

SIDELINE MOMENT: During a timeout in the third quarter, several Toronto players stopped paying attention to their team's huddle and instead focused on a video on the overhead scoreboard that showed bloopers of Jazz's mascot "Bear."

MILESTONE: Today marks the 32n anniversary of one of the most unique games in Jazz history. On today's date in 1977, the New Orleans Jazz set what at the time was an NBA record for the fewest free throws in a game, with just one. The Jazz went to the line five times, but made only one shot. Still, they beat the Houston Rockets 103-101. Coincidentally, the Toronto Raptors erased the Jazz's record 19 years later when they did not make a single free throw in a loss to the Charlotte Hornets.

INJURY REPORT: The Jazz went without C.J. Miles (left thumb), Kyle Korver (left knee) and Ronnie Price (left big toe).

ETC.: Eric Maynor, Deron Williams, Andrei Kirilenko and Paul Millsap all played the entire fourth quarter. Boozer played 10:50 of the fourth. ... Rookie Wesley Matthews started and scored four points in 25 minutes of work. ... Utah's Mehmet Okur missed the game due to flu-like symptoms. Had he been able to play, Wednesday's game would have featured Turkey's two best-known players: Okur and Toronto's Hedo Turkoglu. ... Boozer was whistled for a technical foul for hanging on the rim after a monster dunk in the fourth quarter.

UP NEXT: The Jazz will play at San Antonio tonight, then return to EnergySolutions Arena to host the Detroit Pistons on Saturday.