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When Al Jefferson joined the Jazz, Utah point guard Deron Williams declared he was going to make his new teammate an All-Star.

Since Williams was traded, however, Jefferson has been playing his best basketball of the season.

In Monday night's 107-102 loss to the Celtics, Jefferson finished with 28 points, 19 rebounds and two blocked shots.

Over the past six games, Jefferson is averaging 27.2 points and 11 rebounds.

"He's doing a great job of reading the offense," said Jazz coach Tyrone Corbin.

"He's coming off tight and getting the ball close to the basket, where he can catch it and make something happen real quick."

Since he was 2 of 14 from the field in the Jazz's first game without Williams, Jefferson has made 70 of 121 field-goal attempts.

"[I'm] just getting more comfortable with this offense, and my teammates do a great job of getting me the ball," Jefferson said.

"I think this the first time I'm actually feeling like my old self since the injury. Just doing what I know I can do best."

Jefferson suffered a torn ACL in 2008-09, when he played in Minnesota.

In Williams-less Utah, Jefferson and Paul Millsap have emerged as the Jazz's primary options on offense.

"I don't feel [any] pressure," Jefferson said. "Me and Paul, it's our job to step up. That's what we're doing."

Referring to Devin Harris and Derrick Favors, who were acquired from the Nets, Jefferson said, "Until the new guys get more comfortable in the system — which it seems like they already have — it's our job to step up and fill in the space from D-Will."

Against the Celtics, who drafted him in 2004, Jefferson played with emotion.

At one point, he went nose-to-nose with Kevin Garnett.

"I don't even want to talk about it … ," Jefferson said. "I just like to play my game."

Corbin was glad to see the exchange between Jefferson and Garnett.

"I loved it," he said. "We talked about [that] a little bit. We have to get tougher and [the Celtics] were going to be tough. …

"They aren't going to back down and, if you weaken in any way, they are going to run over you. So we did a good job, effort-wise."

Jefferson, however, was frustrated by the near-miss against Boston.

"I don't want to say the wrong thing, but a lot of things that could have went our way didn't," he said.

Still, Jefferson said, "I think we kept our head above the water."

Shrugging, he added, "That's life. When we win a championship, we'll get that kind of respect."