The Mavericks went into Wednesday's game against Portland having won three straight and owning a two-game lead on the Jazz. Phoenix holds a half-game lead on the Jazz for eighth place, with a game Wednesday at Golden State.

Jazz coach Jerry Sloan said Wednesday he was not focused on the fact that three teams -- Dallas, Phoenix and Utah -- appear to be fighting for only two spots.

"I think we've just got to worry about winning," Sloan said. "When you start looking back over your shoulder and worrying about what the other team is doing, I think that's [when] you get yourself in trouble."

The likelihood that the Jazz will have Deron Williams back Thursday from a bruised right quadriceps and swollen knee increased as Williams went through a full practice. Williams missed Monday's victory over Charlotte after he was injured Saturday.

"I definitely want to play, so I'm shooting for that," Williams said before practice. "But I've just got to see how it feels. I haven't ran yet on it, so I don't know how it's going to handle."

There is still swelling in his knee, but Williams said it's gone "down a lot" in the last two days. The Jazz are calling Williams a game-time decision to play.

"It's definitely a big game," Williams said. "They're right there, we gain a game on them if we win. It's a TNT game. So it's a game we need."

Williams took the practice court Wednesday wearing a blue brace on his knee over white sleeve running down to his calf. He is no fan of knee braces, never having worn one in a game, and isn't expected to start Thursday.

"I'll probably end up throwing it off," Williams said.

Dirk Nowitzki, meanwhile, undoubtedly will be hoping this visit to Utah will not result in a third consecutive suspension for an incident involving the Jazz.

Nowitzki was suspended a game for hitting Matt Harpring in the face with a backhand swipe in the Jazz's 97-88 victory on Dec. 26. Before that, he was suspended in March for a flagrant foul takedown that sent Andrei Kirilenko to the hospital with a bruised hip.

After the second suspension in December, Nowitzki called it more than a coincidence that both incidents happened against the Jazz at EnergySolutions Arena.

"That's how they play there. They don't call a lot of fouls there," Nowitzki said. "I just think it's Sloan having the boys play hard. It's been like this ever since I got to the league. They let the boys play in Utah and let them play hard. Sometimes on the edge. And I just got to be ready to take more hits and play through it and not lose my head."

Asked about Nowitzki's charge that the Jazz get away with more physical play in Utah, Sloan said: "Players can say whatever they want. I don't have any problem with that. We just have to go play Basketball and not get caught up in that sort of stuff."

Nowitzki scorched the Jazz for 39 points and hit 16 of 20 shots as the Mavericks won 115-108 in Dallas on Jan. 17. They had little hope of slowing Nowitzki, but the Jazz at least were able to turn to Kirilenko, who won't play Thursday after undergoing ankle surgery.

"We just have to do the best we can, try to give as much help as we can," Sloan said. "But [Nowitzki's] such a great player, and he's so big and long. You fail to realize the way he plays, he's as tall as he is."

Paul Millsap will draw the defensive assignment, with Harpring also likely taking a turn. Williams described Nowitzki as being "pretty unconscious" in last month's game, with Sloan openly wondering if Nowitzki even missed a shot.

"Once you're hot, you're hot," Ronnie Brewer said, "so hopefully we can contest him a little bit, make him work harder on the defensive end and on the offensive end. If we slow him down a little bit, we can come away with the win."

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Notes : Malone will fill in with Barkley having taken a leave of absence following his Dec. 31 drunken driving arrest. . . .The Jazz's game Friday at Sacramento will coincide with the retirement ceremony for Chris Webber's No. 4.

? Jazz vs. Dallas

At EnergySolutions Arena

Time: Thursday, 8:30 p.m.

TV/Radio: TNT, 1320 AM, 98.7 FM

Last meeting: Jazz lost 115-108 on Jan. 17

About the Jazz: Much as they did in beating the Mavericks on Dec. 26, the Jazz will be catching Dallas in the second game of a back-to-back set. Jason Terry (22 points) and Brandon Bass (17 points) both had big games off the bench for Dallas in last month's victory over the Jazz.

About the Mavericks: Dallas went into Wednesday's game against Portland having won three straight, against Golden State, Miami and Orlando. Jason Kidd last week was handed over the responsibility for calling the Mavericks' plays by coach Rick Carlisle.