SAN ANTONIO - The Jazz could be without their entire starting backcourt when they face elimination from the NBA's Western Conference finals in Game 5 of the series against the San Antonio Spurs tonight at the AT&T Center.

Point guard Deron Williams is a "game-time decision," the team said, with the sprained right foot he suffered late in Game 4 - he was still wearing a bulky protective boot at the pre-game shootaround - while shooting guard Derek Fisher might not return to the team in time for tip-off.

"Those things, you never count on until the guy shows up," coach Jerry Sloan said.

Fisher left the team after Game 4 on Monday to accompany his 11-month-old daughter to New York for a previously scheduled doctor's appointment, the team said. Tatum Fisher is undergoing treatment for a rare form of cancer in her eye, and was scheduled to have another "procedure" performed today.

However, a team spokeswoman said the procedure had been delayed - though she did not know why or for how long.

Fisher originally had been scheduled to re-join the team this afternoon, in time for the game. If he does not return in time, Sloan said Gordan Giricek will start in his place, just as he did when Fisher missed Game 1 of the conference semifinal series against Golden State to attend the first round of medical treatments for his daughter's condition.

Meanwhile, Williams declined to speak with reporters at the pre-game shootaround. He also was unavailable after practice Tuesday, but was seen before practice wearing the protective boot on what the team originally called a sprained ankle, suffered in the final minutes of a 91-79 loss to the Spurs in Game 4.

Williams had been a "game-time decision" before that game, too, because of a stomach flu, but started and played 38 minutes, anyway.

If Williams cannot play, rookie Dee Brown is likely to start as the Jazz attempt to fight off elimination by snapping an 18-game losing streak to the Spurs in San Antonio.

"We have to step up, whatever happens," forward Carlos Boozer said. "Whoever we have out there, you have to believe in yourself and we have to believe in each other. No matter what the case is ... we have to get it done. We can't make excuses." mcl@sltrib.com