Posted By Lynn Worthy, Sun Staff

First Chris Paul. Next, Deron Williams.

That’s got to be like a 99 mile per hour fastball followed up by a curveball starting mid-forehead and ending at ankle height. You know, enough to make you yell, “Really? Come on man. That‘s just not right!”

But if Boston fans are ready to elevate Celtics point guard Rajon Rondo to elite and even All-Star level, these are the sorts of match-ups he’ll get judged on.

Paul had 20 points, six rebounds, and 14 assists on Friday night, while Rondo put up 10 points, two assists, and six rebounds. The important statistic, the win, went to Rondo and the Celtics as Boston (22-2) pushed its win streak to 14 games.

After not playing on Saturday or Sunday, the Rondo faces another measuring stick as the Celtics host the Utah Jazz and the 6-foot-3 207-pound Williams (those measurements put him two inches taller and about 36 pounds heavier than Rondo).

Williams, an All-NBA Second Team selection who was picked one spot ahead of New Orleans’ Paul in the 2005 NBA Draft, enters tonight’s game averaging 12.3 points per game and dishing out 10.3 assists per game (second-best in the NBA).

“He’s definitely one of them,” Williams replied when asked if he’d rank Rondo as the fastest point guard in the NBA. “I don’t know if he’s the fastest. I don’t know how you’d … I mean we don’t run 40s (40-yard dashes) so I don’t know. There are a bunch of fast guys in the league, and he’s definitely one of them. Quickest hands.”

The University of Illinois product compared Rondo’s physical attributes to those of Russell Westbrook (the fourth overall pick in the 2008 NBA Draft by Seattle/Oklahoma City) and Mario Chalmers (34th pick of the Miami Heat in last June‘s Draft), though Williams made it a point to add that neither of them have proven themselves like Rondo.

Williams, the fourth-year Jazz point guard, missed 13 games this season with a sprained left ankle suffered in a preseason game against Chicago on Oct. 19. Last week’s game against the Portland Trailblazers was reportedly the first time he played without an ankle brace.

“I don’t know yet, I hope not,” Celtics head coach Doc Rivers said with a laugh when asked whether he thought Williams was back to full speed. “But he will be soon. You know that. It’s just tough to catch up right away, but he looked great the last two or three games that I’ve watched. He‘s just a tough cover for us, a lot like (Chauncey) Billups.”

Williams logged 22 points, 11 assists and one rebound in a loss to the Celtics last season in Utah (he also committed seven turnovers). He recorded 32 points, eight assists and five rebounds, while committing three turnovers in a win against the Celtics at the TD Banknorth Garden in their second meeting of the season. He might as well go his mail delivered to the free throw line, he made 17 of 18 free throws in that game.

“He has great speed,” River says of Williams ability to match-up with smaller quicker guards. “He has great feet. He has great anticipation. And then on the other end he punishes them. That’s what he tries to do. He throws body punches, slows the little guards down. He’s tough, him and Billups are at the top of that last as far as power point guards, and he plays with another speed. He has another gear as well.”

Williams also seems to be atop another list. Even though Williams has yet to play in an All-Star Game, he and Paul both represented Team USA this summer along with Jason Kidd. He and Paul appear to have assumed the mantle as 1 and 1A in regards to top young point guards in the NBA.

What do you think? Use the comments link below to add your thoughts, observations, and opinions on the point guard battle throughout the night and after the game.