Utah Jazz: Marvin Williams says he is not in a slump

An 0-3 road trip through the South was rough for all members of the Jazz, but none more so than for Marvin Williams.

The small forward acquired by the Jazz in an offseason trade was 8-for-22 in three games, scoring 19 points, making 1-of-8 three-pointers and shooting just two free throws. But Williams, who scored 21 points in the Jazz's season-opening win over Dallas, said Wednesday that he is not in a slump.

"I've been in slumps before, man," Williams said. "I don't feel like I'm anywhere near that."

The Jazz play the Lakers on today at 7 p.m., as the Jazz look to bust out of their overall malaise against another team that is struggling. Like the Jazz, the Lakers enter the game 1-7.

Williams said he returned to the Jazz's practice facility Tuesday night to get in extra work, and that he will be more aggressive against the Lakers on Wednesday.

"I think the last couple of games I obviously haven't shot it as well as I wanted to," Williams said. "But the third, fourth games of the season, I'm not discouraged about that at all. It's just one of those road trips where you have games like that."

Through four games, Williams is sixth among Jazz players with 10 points per game, but has not scored in double figures since Halloween night against the Mavericks.

Last year in Atlanta, Williams, the No. 2 pick in the 2005 NBA Draft, averaged 10.2 points per game.

"If I'm not scoring it offensively, I'm trying to pick it up on the defensive end," Williams said.

On Monday in Memphis, Grizzlies' small forward Rudy Gay was held to 3-of-17 shooting from the floor, but managed 15 points after going 8-for-8 from the free throw line.

"Trying to slow somebody down like Rudy Gay definitely helps our team," Williams said, "and definitely puts us in a position to win."

boram@sltrib.com

Twitter: @tribjazz