Late in the fourth quarter, Williams returned the favor -- in a non-violent way, of course -- by delivering a bigger blow to all of the Warriors.

Incidentally, it left a permanent mark in the NBA standings -- a good one for Utah, yet another bad one for Golden State after the 119-114 Jazz TKO win at EnergySolutions Arena.

Williams' no-look pass to Ronnie Brewer ended up being the knockout punch the Jazz couldn't quite connect on for the previous 47 minutes. It also led to another 3-point play for Utah. Brewer took the quick toss from the top of the key and then made the layup and a free throw to give the Jazz a seven-point lead with 1:14 remaining.

That key play gave Williams 15 assists on the night. The star point guard also finished with a team-high 25 points -- after hitting his first eight shots to keep the Jazz in it early on against the running and gunning Warriors.

"I thought he had a terrific game. He was alive," said Jazz coach Jerry Sloan. "His shot, it looked like he was shooting the ball very well. He was getting on top of the basket."

Williams gave ESA fans quite the scare, though, when he ended up on the court underneath the basket. After stealing the ball, the Jazz had a break-away situation as he and Andrei Kirilenko sprinted ahead of the Warriors.

But then Williams noticed Maggette bursting toward him from behind. Instead of trying to make a layup and take a foul, he dished the ball and took a painful shot.

"I saw Corey Maggette coming. When people are coming that fast, good things don't happen," he said. "So I saw AK and dumped it off to him, and I saw black after that."

Kirilenko made the basket and Williams, who held his face while staying on the floor for a minute, capped the non-traditional 3-point play by hitting a free throw.

Both coaches were impressed with Williams' overall play in Monday's four-game homestand-opening win for the Jazz.

"He's healthier," said Golden State coach Don Nelson. "I don't know if he's 100 percent yet, but he was pretty good tonight I thought."

So, too, did Sloan, who knows the Jazz will need more big games like this from their only available gold medalist.

"He's a guy that a lot of weight falls on his shoulders," Sloan said. "I think that's what he expects. We just kind of ride with him. However he goes is how we go."

On a nice winning streak is where Williams would like for the up-and-injured-and-down-and-up-and-injured-again Jazz to go.

"We definitely needed this one," Williams said. "This is the time when we've got to go on a streak. We had a successful January last year. Why not do it again?"

Williams' next bout will be a much-anticipated rematch with his friend and rival Chris Paul on Wednesday when the Jazz host the Hornets. E-mail: jody@desnews.com