Sloan likes the idea of Kirilenko offering energy and veteran experience to his second unit, especially with Harpring's potentially prolonged absence.

Sloan has committed to starting the season this way. How long it lasts may depend in part on just how much ...

3. THE JAZZ SEE C.J. MILES AS A POTENTIAL STARTER

Miles may have won the starting job for the opener and perhaps a few games beyond, but nothing beyond that is guaranteed.

Part of the thinking may be that he can be folded into playing with a group of relatively experienced starters who cover for him, and part may be that backup shooting guard Korver's offensive contributions off the bench are too valuable to lose if he were made a starter.

The bottom line is that 21-year-old Miles may be a starter, but he is unlikely — at least at this point in his career — to be a finisher.

Whether he keeps the starting job is an issue that will be decided by many factors, including his shot selection, whether or not he can keep his confidence up, and whether or not opponents try to exploit his presence.

Should the Miles experiment not work, alternate options that may be considered include starting Korver along with shooting guard Brewer, returning Kirilenko to the starting lineup or perhaps — whenever he's ready — starting Harpring at small forward.

4. KOSTA KOUFOS HAS A WAYS TO GO

The Jazz's 2008 first-round draft pick, 7-footer Kosta Koufos, is a 19-year-old who left Ohio State after his freshman season.

He improved his body significantly since leaving school, and the Jazz really seem to love his work ethic.

In time, he could become a key part of the club's regular rotation.

Just how soon though, remains to be seen.

He did have six points with 3-of-4 field shooting Thursday, but Koufos evidently has a long ways to go to grasp all the intricacies of the Jazz system. He's been set back a bit by a strained hamstring, and it seems unlikely he'll be a major factor early in the regular season.

The biggest question with Koufos in weeks to come, in fact, may be whether or not he starts with the NBA Development League season with the Jazz-affiliated Utah Flash.

5. DEFENSE WILL BE AN ONGOING ISSUE

Sloan has harped since the start of camp about the importance of defense if the Jazz are to make a deep run in the 2009 NBA playoffs, let alone win a title.

He's also made the point that if they intend to exhibit it then, they will have to start by showing seriousness about it throughout the regular season.

Yet the Jazz didn't exactly display an impressive defensive mentality during their seven-game exhibition schedule, and they especially failed in that regard during Thursday's first half, when the Portland Blazers, minus several of their regulars, scored a whopping 63.

The Jazz did clamp down after the break, though, allowing Portland just 26 points and forcing the Blazers into four shot-clock violations.

Still, expect the issue to be a recurring theme for Sloan to discuss throughout at least the first half of the regular season — and probably well beyond then.

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E-mail: tbuckley@desnews.com