Jazz Pull Out Win After Sloan's Ejection

Utah Jazz coach Jerry Sloan was ejected in the third quarter Saturday night against Philadelphia after getting two technical fouls in a 30-second span.

Sloan felt the officials were favoring 76ers guard Allen Iverson and let them know it with an earful each time they passed the Jazz bench.

He got the first technical with 7:38 left in the third quarter after Utah's Keith McLeod was called for his fourth foul. Sloan stomped his foot and got a quick technical from official Derrick Stafford.

Sloan hadn't had much time to cool off just 30 seconds later when Deron Williams, who had replaced McLeod, received his fourth foul -- also while guarding Iverson.

Via AP

Utah Jazz

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Harpring Calm After Snapping At Sloan

Matt Harpring might have gone to bed a little angry Monday night, but he woke up Tuesday with a calmer perspective: His coach was just doing what Harpring had asked.

The Jazz forward was enraged when Jerry Sloan sent Kris Humphries in for him just 33 seconds into overtime of Utah's 105-102 victory over Memphis on Monday, upset that Sloan would call a premature halt to one of the most effective outings Harpring has had all season. Harpring snapped at the coach as he walked to the bench, and Sloan shot right back at him: "I can't play you anymore."

Well, it might have been a little more colorful than that.

The reason for the benching was spelled out in writing: Harpring's knee surgeon had sent Sloan a letter outlining his recommendations for Harpring's activity while he continues to recover from April surgery. Limit his playing time to 30 minutes a game, the letter specified, and no back-to-back games.

Harpring had played a key role in the Jazz's amazing rally from 18 points down against Memphis, making five of his seven shots in the second half. But he had played 32 minutes - more than he was supposed to. Sloan finally, reluctantly, subbed out one of his most effective offensive weapons, then was shocked when Harpring got mad.

"I'm a competitor. I wanted to play," Harpring said of his challenge to Sloan. "Once I slept on it, I realized it's not his fault. I'm not mad at him, I'm not mad at anyone. It was just tough to sit there."

Sloan's reply: He thinks he had the tough part?

"I just go on what I'm told. Everybody wants to keep playing when they're going good, but it's his people who made the decision, not me," Sloan said. "I don't ever want to screw a guy's career up."

Via Salt Lake Tribune

Utah Jazz

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Boozer Preparing To Return To Jazz

Carlos Boozer's hamstring feels good, his recovery is almost complete, and the Jazz's power forward is all set to play basketball again on . . .

Whoops. Boozer's not going to make that mistake again. After scrubbing more re-launches than NASA over the past 10 months, Boozer refuses to specify a date for his first NBA appearance since Feb. 14.

"I'm not going to say when, because that hasn't worked out very good for me," said Boozer, who missed three or four targets dates last spring when his sore foot wouldn't heal, then twice aggravated his hamstring injury this fall just when he believed he was completely recovered. "But hopefully soon."

That's better than nothing for a franchise that tonight will play its 59th consecutive game without its highest-paid player. In fact, Boozer's optimism and enthusiasm at the Jazz's practice Sunday night were a stark contrast to the painfully pessimistic team that appeared beaten down by a long and ugly road trip last week.

"It's good to be back around the guys, it's good to have their energy," said Boozer, who originally strained the hamstring Oct. 8. He is not yet ready to participate in a practice, instead limiting himself to drills and strength exercises. But the difference between his strained left hamstring today, after a month working with specialists in Los Angeles, and its condition when he tried to work out on Oct. 31 and Nov. 14, when he reinjured it, is noticeable, he said.

It's been hard work, Boozer said, though he realizes that many Utah fans have lost faith in his sincerity about returning to the Jazz. "All they see is me sitting behind the bench in a suit. They don't see me working out, don't see me lifting weights, don't see me running, don't see me doing drills. But it comes with the territory," Boozer said.

And if he image has taken a beating during his absence? "I don't worry about that. I've been through much worse already," he said, an apparent reference to the avalanche of criticism he received for leaving Cleveland as a free agent in 2004. As for widespread rumors he and his wife don't like Salt Lake, Boozer said, "I'm fine here."

Via Salt Lake Tribune

Utah Jazz

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