During a preseason game on 18th October 2008 at Chicago, the Utah Jazz defeated the Chicago Bulls by a score of 88-80. Andrei Kirilenko contributed 18 points off the bench and 14 points were chipped in by Paul Millsap. However in the first quarter, Deron Williams suffered an injury.
Williams’s injury
Williams sprained a left ankle and fell awkwardly while playing in the first quarter. Although the X-ray report was negative, he did not resume his game. While leaving the arena, Williams wore a protective boot and was on crutches. He grimaced in pain and his two teammates carried him off court. From the floor to the locker room, he moved on a wheelchair. Even after the game was over, he did not speak to the reporters. Jerry Sloan, coach of Utah Jazz, refused to comment regarding the state of Williams. He said “That’s not my position to speak on his condition. I would never try to get a player back sooner than he should be ready to play. I would never jeopardize somebody’s career. Most important thing is be cautious. When he is ready to play, we will put him out there.”
Williams’s statistics
During the Beijing Olympics, Williams was a member of the United States Olympic team that won the gold medal. Overall, he has taken part in 242 out of a probable 246 career games. In the 2007-08 season, he has participated in 82 games. During this career, he has averaged 15.3 points, 2.9 rebounds and 8.1 assists per game.
