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The rookie point guard struggled badly enough that his coaches were starting to feel guilty. This was nearly a decade ago, the first time Quin Snyder and George Hill teamed up on a basketball court.

"We hung him out there," Snyder, then an assistant on the San Antonio Spurs' summer league bench, recalls years later. "We put George in pick and roll and he got trapped and all these things are happening. We were looking at each other going, 'What are we doing?' We're making it hard on this guy.' "

"Maybe it helped him," the coach adds.

Nothing and everything has changed all this time later. Hill, now a savvy veteran with no problem navigating a pick and roll, has been a key piece of the Jazz's first playoff season since 2012. And Snyder, the coach who helped baptize him by fire in that long ago summer league, once again has helped Hill get into a position to advance his career.

Important questions linger with a week left in the regular season: How many games does Hill have left in a Jazz uniform? How quickly can the 30-year-old return to health after missing a week with a groin injury? How far can he take the Jazz in the playoffs? And will the soon to be free agent be back in Utah next season?

Hill, when healthy, has been an X-factor for the Jazz.

"We wouldn't be where we are without him," forward Gordon Hayward said. "His game play, also his leadership on and off the court has been huge for us. … He's been integral for our success."

Hill has found a system that fits him perfectly in Utah after a disappointing end to his career with the Pacers. The point guard can take care of the ball. That rookie in over his head? He has turned into one of the top pick-and-roll ball handlers in the league. But he doesn't need the ball in his hands all the time to be useful, which is important when your All-Star forward is pretty good at creating things off the dribble.

And regardless of whether the Jazz match up with the Clippers or Thunder in the first round of the playoffs, they will need Hill's playoff experience and defensive skills to help slow down an all-star point guard in either Chris Paul or Russell Westbrook.

Hill's injuries, however, pose serious questions for the Jazz both now and going forward.

General manager Dennis Lindsey was not able to reach an agreement with Hill on an extension earlier this season, so the point guard will become a free agent this summer for the first time in his career. With the market thin on point guards, Hill's camp believes he could command something near a max deal, or about $25 million a year over the next four seasons.

It makes sense for Hill to look for the highest bidder this summer, for what almost certainly would be his last big contract. But despite the point guard's solid numbers this season, one number — 47 games played — could give the Jazz front office pause come July.

Hill has missed eight games with a sprained right thumb, 13 games with a sprained big toe, three more with soreness in his toe, three games with a lip laceration and concussion and now four games with a groin strain.

"He's had some bad luck this year," Snyder said.

That could be very unlucky for the Jazz in the short term.

Hill partially participated in practice Thursday, his first practice in over a week. Afterward, he joined injured Derrick Favors and Raul Neto in a game of 3-on-3.

"They're making progress, and that's encouraging," Snyder said. "But you never know how quickly the progress occurs and you never know … if you'll have to backtrack because of different issues."

Still, Hill remains doubtful to play Friday against Minnesota, with one week remaining until the start of the playoffs.

"George has been great for us on both ends," Jazz center Rudy Gobert said. "Hopefully he's going to be back pretty soon. But we really need him 100 percent for the playoffs."

The clock is ticking.

Twitter: @aaronfalk —

Timberwolves at Jazz

P At Vivint SmartHome Arena

Tipoff • 7 p.m.

TV • ROOT Radio • 1280 AM, 97.5 FM

About the Timberwolves • Lottery bound and winners of three of their past 10 games. … Center Karl-Anthony Towns is a superstar in the making, averaging 24.8 points and 12 rebounds a game. … Point guard Zach LaVine is out with a torn ACL.

About the Jazz • Looking to avenge a blowout loss to the Timberwolves last time they met in Salt Lake City … Gordon Hayward has tallied 12 30-point games this season, the most by a Jazzman through 78 games since Karl Malone (14 in 2001-02). … Rudy Gobert needs eight rebounds to become just the 12th player in NBA history to record 1,000 points, 1,000 rebounds and 200 blocks in a season.