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More than two full months after he sprained the big toe on his left foot during a practice, Utah Jazz point guard George Hill is still dealing with the lingering effects.
"I have games where thing feel good and sometimes you don't," Hill said during the team's morning shootaround Saturday. "It's still a process. I'm still dealing with the issue. I'm just trying to do the best I can to get out there and give everything I've got."
The Jazz, meanwhile, want to be careful to make sure Hill can do that when it matters most.
To that end, Hill was held out of action for a game last week to rest. The point guard had to sit and watch as his team let a 21-point lead slip away Thursday night in Dallas. Had to watch as someone else handled the ball in the final minute, turning it over in crunch time. Had to watch as his team faltered in overtime.
"At times, it sucks because you want to get out there," he said. "But sometimes you've got to listen to the coaches and the training staff. They don't think it's best to play sometimes."
But Hill believes one game won't make or break the Jazz's season — and that managing his injured toe now will pay dividends "when we really need it."
"I'm just trying to do the best I can to stay on top of it, so it doesn't linger where it's four, five, six games instead of one," said Hill, who missed 13 straight games with the injury in December.
Hill was in action on Saturday night at Vivint Smart Home Arena in a loss to the Boston Celtics. Hill struggled to find his shooting stroke early, before putting together an 11-point fourth quarter. He ended the night with 22 points on 7-of-16 shooting, to go along with four assists and three steals.
Hill's counterpart, Boston's all-star point guard Isaiah Thomas, finished with 29 points and five assists.
"He has heart," Hill said of the 5-foot-9 Thomas. "Anytime you've got heart and competitive spirit-no matter how big, how tall, how short, how fast, whatever you are-you can make things happen."
The Jazz are now 19-5 in games where both Hill and Gordon Hayward have been healthy enough to play together.
Twitter: @aaronfalk