Just nine minutes into Monday night’s game, the Utah Jazz almost waived the white flag on their playoff hopes this season.

On a hard drive to the basket in an open court, Deron Williams was fouled by Carmelo Anthony.  The foul hobbled Williams, sending him to the bench with what appeared to be a knee or ankle injury.

At this very moment, the collective spirits of Utah fans across the globe sank in unison.

The Jazz have been bitten by the injury bug all season and somehow (see Jerry Sloan), they have managed to secure a #5 seed in the Western Conference.  But prior to Game 1 of their first round series with the Denver Nuggets, all of the talk was about whether or not power forward Carlos Boozer would be playing.  He made it onto the court, but forward Andrei Kirilenko has not due to a re-aggravated calf injury.  Early in Game 1, starting center Mehmet Okur suffered a ruptured Achilles tendon and will be out for the postseason.

With the injuries, Deron Williams – already recognized as the best player on the Utah roster – has been called on to do all that he can to push the Jazz forward. 

The Jazz are missing the all-around contributions of Andrei Kirilenko.

In Game 1, Williams put up his routine 25 points and 11 assists, but the Jazz were overcome by Anthony’s 42-point effort.  And with 3:33 left in the first quarter of Game 2, D-Will already had 10 points.  But the hard foul by Anthony slowed him down.

Williams sank the free-throws that resulted from the flagrant foul and then limped to the sidelines.  Less than a minute later, he returned to the game…and then Utah exhaled.  Williams played spectacular for the remainder of the half, ending it with an amazing 23 points and 7 assists.

Shortly after the halftime intermission, the Jazz held a sizable lead of 16 points over the home team.  But the Nuggets stormed back to make it a close contest down to the final possession of the game.

All in all, it was Williams’ big night – he finished with 33 and 14 – that allowed Utah to pull even at 1-1 with Denver.  Playing 42 minte per game, being banged up and continuing to shoulder the load in Utah’s first two postseason games may have fans wondering if the fifth-year point guard can keep it up.

Don’t worry.  ’D’ will.