Utah Jazz: Sore hamstring sidelines Boozer

ANAHEIM, Calif. — Utah Jazz All-Star power forward Carlos Boozer will not play in tonight's preseason opener against the Los Angeles Lakers here due to soreness in his left hamstring.

Boozer, who played for gold medal-winning Team USA at this past

summer's Olympic Games in China, suggested that the injury is not serious.

But it's the same hamstring he tore three years ago, when he wound up playing just 33 games in the 2005-06 NBA season.

Sitting out tonight, he indicated, was a largely precautionary decision.

"Just a little sore," Boozer said at the team's shootaround this morning at the Honda Center. "So I'd rather be safe than sorry.

"I'll be alright."

Jazz coach Jerry Sloan said usual backup Paul Millsap would start in Boozer's place tonight, and that reserve swingman C.J. Miles will start at small forward so usual starter and Russian Olympian Andrei Kirilenko can come off the bench for the early exhibition season game.

Point guard Deron Williams, who also played for USA Basketball in the Olympics, will start tonight.