Point guard Deron Williams' hopes for making the playoffs in the first season of his rookie career ended, of all places, in his hometown area of Dallas.
That's where, after Sunday's loss to the Mavericks, the possibility of postseason play for the Jazz officially came to a close.
Beyond that reality, though, the No. 3 overall selection in last June's NBA Draft feels pretty good about how the season wound up — or at least better about the ending than the beginning.
"As a team, I think we showed a lot of signs of progression," the University of Illinois product said as Utah looked forward to its season finale, tonight's mostly meaningless Delta Center game against Golden State. "I think we learned how to finish better down the stretch."
On a personal level, Williams — who went from sub to starting point to sub and finally back to full-time in mid-March, with a dose of playing time at shooting guard and a dash of depression when he was hardly playing at all — feels better now than he did halfway through his rookie season.
"I've got a lot more confidence," he said. "I feel in control out there. I just feel like I'm earning my place."
BLOCK PARTY: If leader Marcus Camby's blocks-per-game average remains at 3.29 following Denver's season-ending game against Seattle tonight, Jazz forward Andrei Kirilenko — if he plays, and that's a big if — would have to swat 11 shots tonight to overtake the Nuggets center and repeat as NBA season blocks leader.
Kirilenko's career high is 10, reached last month vs. Sacramento. Through Monday's games, that also was highest individual block total in the league this season.
Kirilenko, who finished with an average of 3.32 blocks last season, currently is averaging 3.19.
But he did not play Monday at San Antonio due to back spasms and is considered doubtful for tonight. If he does not play, there is no way Kirilenko can catch Camby.
The Jazz, by the way, are now 2-10 when Kirilenko has missed games because of injury this season.
SORRY: According to Tuesday's Oakland Tribune, team captain Jason Richardson of Golden State — the Jazz's season-ending opponent tonight — personally "shouldered half the cost of a series of full-page advertisements in Monday's (San Francisco) Bay Area papers, including . . . one thanking Warriors fans for their unstinting passion and apologizing for not bringing the club's streak of playoff-less seasons to an end."
"Regrettably, we just didn't get it done for you," read the ad copy. "We are committed to doing whatever it takes this summer to make the 2006-07 season one that you can be proud of."
The ads reportedly cost Richardson, whose salary this season is $8.9 million, more than $50,000. The team also shared in the cost.
MONTGOMERY SAFE: Golden State coach Mike Montgomery will return next season, Warriors basketball boss Chris Mullin told the Associated Press earlier this week.
According to AP, "Mullin put the blame for the Warriors' latest dismal season on his own shoulders, vowing to make adjustments to Golden State's roster in the offseason. Yet Mullin also pronounced himself happy with the Warriors' core of six veterans signed to long-term contracts: (Baron) Davis, Richardson, Troy Murphy, Mike Dunleavy, Derek Fisher and Adonal Foyle."
NUMBERS GAME: Utah will finish the season with six scorers averaging in double figures: Mehmet Okur, Carlos Boozer, Kirilenko, Matt Harpring, Williams and injured guard Gordan Giricek.
E-mail: tbuckley@desnews.com