Since Jan. 12, the Jazz are 16-8. During that 24-game stretch, Williams averages 23 points and 11 assists.

He's had at least 10 assists in 10 straight games.

Sometime next week, he will hand out the 2,500th assist of his career.

Heading into tonight's game against Denver, Williams has 2,463 assists. He is on track to reach 2,500 assists on the Jazz's upcoming five-game swing through the Eastern Conference.

At his current pace, Williams will reach the milestone Tuesday at Indiana or Wednesday at Atlanta.

Williams had 26 points, 14 assists and five rebounds in the Jazz's 101-94 win over Houston on Wednesday night.

After the game, Rocket coach Rick Adelman said, "Deron Williams is very good. He controls the game, finds the right people and makes the right plays."

Williams is fourth on the Jazz's all-time assist list, trailing NBA record-holder John Stockton (15,806), Karl Malone (5,085) and Rickey Green (4,159).

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Premature praise

Most NBA-watchers credit Chauncey Billups for helping make the Denver Nuggets into a better team this season, but the veteran point guard downplayed the idea during an interview at the All-Star Game three weeks ago.

Acquired in November for Allen Iverson , Billups said, "I probably have had something to do with it, you know what I mean? But they already had some very good players here. They might have been on the same run without me, with what they had in place."

According to Billups, the trade and the Nuggets' season won't be judged until the playoffs.

"Most good teams are measured by what they do in the postseason," Billups said. "So we won't know how it works out. But I'm happy with where I'm at and where our teams is at. So we'll see."

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Briefly

The Jazz's Kyrylo Fesenko , sent home before the game against the Rockets because he was ill, missed Thursday morning's practice so he could visit the doctor for further evaluation. ? Denver's Carmelo Anthony missed Tuesday's 100-95 loss at Detroit while serving a one-game suspension. The team punished Anthony for refusing to come out of the Nuggets' previous game at Indiana. But Jazz veteran Matt Harpring doubts Denver will suffer any lingering impact from the situation: "In the NBA, you have so many things happen, you learn to get over them pretty quickly because the games come at you so fast. So I don't see this being a major distraction to them."

luhm@sltrib.com Denver at Jazz

At EnergySolutions Arena

Tipoff ? Today, 8:30 p.m.

TV ? Fox Sports, ESPN

Radio ? 1320 AM, 98.7 FM

Records ? Jazz 38-23, Nuggets 39-22

Season series ? Tied, 1-1

Last Meeting ? Nuggets, 117-97 (Jan. 25)

Line ? Jazz by 7?

About the Jazz ? They have won nine straight and 12 of their last 13. ? They are 27-6 at home. ? They are led by G Deron Williams (18.7) and F Carlos Boozer (17.4).

About the Nuggets ? They have lost four straight on the road. ... They average 102.8 points per game, which is seventh in the league. ? They are led by F Carmelo Anthony (21.6).