Grizzlies-Jazz Preview

Utah Jazz point guard Deron Williams has done an outstanding job of setting up his teammates during an eight-game win streak against the Memphis Grizzlies. Now he's starting to pick up more of the scoring load.

With Williams enjoying the best scoring stretch of his career, the Jazz look to continue their dominance of the Grizzlies on Tuesday night in their first game since the All-Star break.

Utah (30-23) is playing without Andrei Kirilenko (ankle), Carlos Boozer (knee) and Brevin Knight (quadriceps), so it has needed Williams to be more aggressive on offense. He's been more than up to the challenge recently, averaging 33.0 points and shooting 59.8 percent in his last five games.

Williams' scoring has increased every season since he averaged 10.8 points as a rookie in 2005-06, but he's often deferred to Boozer, the Jazz's main offensive option. Williams' 10.0 assists per game rank second in the NBA.

With Boozer playing only 12 games this season, however, Williams has had the chance to prove that he's a top scorer in addition to being one of the league's best passers. The point guard is healthy after missing 13 of the first 15 games with a sprained ankle and later being hobbled by knee swelling. He's averaging 19.2 points on the season.

Williams had 31 points and 11 assists as the Jazz snapped the Los Angeles Lakers' seven-game winning streak with a 113-109 victory Wednesday night.

"The last few games, you can see how healthy Deron is and how hungry he is," Utah swingman C.J. Miles said. "He's so aggressive going to the basket and he sets us all up so well. He makes a us a good team when he plays like that."

Williams was mostly content getting his teammates open looks in the first seven games of the Jazz's current eight-game win streak against the Grizzlies (15-37), averaging 15.8 points and 13.5 assists. In the first meeting with Memphis this season, he had 11 points and 15 assists in a 117-100 Utah win Nov. 26.

In the clubs' last matchup, though, Williams scored a game-high 27 points to lead the Jazz to a 101-91 victory Jan. 16.

Utah has beaten Memphis by an average of 15.8 points during its run in the series, which includes three meetings this season. The Grizzlies haven't beaten the Jazz since a 132-130 overtime win at Utah on Jan. 24, 2007.

Star rookie O.J. Mayo has led Memphis against the Jazz, averaging 22.7 points in three games.

Mayo, though, is coming off one of his worst shooting games of the season, making five of 17 attempts from the field and finishing with 16 points in a 91-87 loss to Philadelphia on Wednesday night.

Mayo has been held under 20 points in three of his last four games after scoring 30-plus in each of his previous two contests.

The Grizzlies stayed close against the 76ers, one of the league's hottest teams, even though Mayo struggled. Memphis lost for the first time in three games despite outrebounding Philadelphia 43-26.

"We can't fault the effort," coach Lionel Hollins said. "We'll refocus and come out running."

Hakim Warrick tied a career high with 31 points for the Grizzlies, but he's averaging 9.0 in three games versus the Jazz this season.