Boozer, Collins may sit vs. Pacers News Utah Jazz

INDIANAPOLIS ? When starting power forward Carlos Boozer missed Sunday's game at Toronto with a sprained right ankle, the Jazz hardly missed a beat, rolling over the Raptors and on to their 11th consecutive victory. For that, point guard Deron Williams credits the long list of injuries the Jazz have endured this season ? 143 man games lost overall, including 44 straight by Boozer beginning Nov.

21 and running through Feb. 21. "Guys got in there and had different roles, played different positions," Williams said, "so now when a guy goes out we're kind of used to it." In Toronto, backup Paul Millsap started in Boozer's place and responded with 18 points and 11 rebounds for his 27th double-double of the season. Boozer, meanwhile, had what a Jazz spokesman deemed "limited participation" when the team held a short practice Monday in advance of tonight's game at Indiana. He's being called a "game-time decision" because of the injury sustained in the first quarter of last Friday's home win over Denver. Also a "game-time decision" for tonight is backup center Jarron Collins, who didn't practice Monday because of a stomach virus. If neither Boozer nor Collins go tonight, and because both big man Kyrylo Fesenko and shooting guard Morris Almond were assigned Friday to the NBA Development League's Utah Flash, the Jazz would have available just 11 healthy players, one shy of the maximum allowed. WILLIAMS RECOGNIZED: Williams on Monday was named NBA Western Conference Player of the Week for the period starting March 2 and ending Sunday. It's the first such honor for Williams, and the 43rd all-time for a Jazz player, including one week in 2000 when Karl Malone and John Stockton shared the award. Center Mehmet Okur was the last Jazz player recognized, and he won in February 2007. The Jazz won 11 straight games during the past week with victories over not only Toronto and Denver, but also Houston. Williams had 25 points against the Raptors, a 25-point and 11-assist double-double in Friday vs. the Nuggets and a 26-point and 14-assist double-double Wednesday against the Rockets. That's a span average of 25.3 points and 11.3 assists per game. Other nominees were Dallas' Dirk Nowitzki, Houston's Yao Ming, the Los Angeles Lakers' Kobe Bryant and San Antonio's Tony Parker. Miami's Dwyane Wade was named Eastern Conference Player of the Week after averaging 35.8 points over four games, including two 40-plus-pointers. WILLIAMS VS. PAUL: With the Jazz, and Williams in particular, hot of late, several Web sites, including NBA.com and FoxSports.com, recently have revisited the who's-better debate pitting Williams against New Orleans' Chris Paul. FoxSports' Charley Rosen makes a case for Williams being the better point guard over the long haul, including these assertions: "He's much stronger than CP3 (Paul) and should therefore be more resistant to serious injuries; Because of his size and strength, Williams can post up smaller opponents (like Paul), and can avoid being posted himself (unlike Paul). ... It should be expected that an injury or Father Time will eventually diminish Paul's amazing speed and quickness ? and when speed guards lose a step, their effectiveness is greatly reduced; Williams is much more versatile, so much so that it's not inconceivable he could make a successful switch to the shooting-guard spot as he ages ... (and) Williams is a much, much better jump-shooter than CP3; Whereas Paul does most of his half-court scoring in conjunction with high screen/rolls, Williams benefits from weak-side screens, staggered screens, and isolations; Williams goes left better than Paul ... In half-court situations, Williams' power makes him a better finisher ... (and) Paul is a sniper-type defender, while Williams' defense is more fundamental and less chancy." Adds Rosen in a response to a reader's question: "None of this is meant to suggest that Paul is anything less than the most dangerous speed guard in the league. He's also an incredible passer, and he plays in a system that maximizes his considerable skills. But, I'll bet your mortgage that Williams will have a better all-around career than Paul." E-mail: tbuckley@desnews.com