Sloan said he wants other players to step up and pick up the slack for slumping players because the Jazz need to win as a team. But he also believes Boozer, who hasn't scored 20 points since Game 1 against Houston, will soon snap out of his funk.

"He's very, very important to our team, everybody knows that. That hasn't changed," Sloan said. "But he'll work himself out of it. I have confidence he will work himself out. He always has."

Boozer isn't about to play his "injury card" because of his sore back to explain his postseason shooting struggles, either.

"I'm not going to blame it on my back," he said. "I had a helluva season with my back. I'm not worried about that."

Not having to repeat the 's' word again ranks much higher on his list of concerns.

Game-by-game production

vs. Lakers
Date ... Result ... Shooting ... Points
May 7: ... L ... 120-110 ... 3-10 ... 10
May 4: ... L ... 109-98 ... 6-14 ... 15

vs. Rockets
Date ... Result ... Shooting ... Points
May 2: ... W ... 113-91 ... 6-17 ... 15
April 29: ... L ... 95-69 ... 8-18 ... 19
April 26: ... W ... 86-82 ... 3-13 ... 14
April 24: ... L ... 94-92 ... 6-11 ... 15

April 21: ... W ... 90-84 ... 6-12 ... 13
April 19: ... W ... 93-82 ... 10-20 ... 20

Slumping Boozer

Hot — regular season

81 games: 21.1 ppg
FG: 54.7 percent
FT: 73.8 percent
Rebounds: 10.4
Assists: 2.9

Not-so hot — playoffs

8 games: 15.1 ppg
FG: 41.7 percent
FT: 73.5 percent
Rebounds: 11.1
Assists: 3.0

Oh-so cold — Lakers series

2 games: 12.5 ppg
FG: 37.5 percent
FT: 87.5 percent
Rebounds: 9.5
Assists: 4.0

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E-mail: jody@desnews.com