Carlos Arroyo could be back soon, and the timing might be just right.

For three games, the Jazz's fill-in point guard duo of Keith McLeod and Howard Eisley performed spectacularly.

In a 102-91 win over Denver on Monday night at the Delta Center, however, both seemed much-more ordinary.

The Jazz did improve to 4-0, but a foul-plagued McLeod managed just three points and four assists. Eisley dished six assists and scored nine points, but committed five of Utah's 14 turnovers.

Arroyo, meanwhile, appears on track to return later this week from a sprained left ankle that put him on the injured list to start the season.

He is eligible to come off the list after sitting out his fifth game, which will come Wednesday night against Toronto. The Jazz's next outing after that is Saturday night against Detroit at the Delta Center, and Jazz trainer Gary Briggs said Monday that Arroyo's return then is "probable."

To make room for Arroyo, the Jazz must replace him on the injured list. Likely candidates would seem to include rookies Kris Humphries and Kirk Snyder, neither of whom played Monday.

Once Arroyo is back, one other decision must be made as well: How to divvy the minutes that remain between McLeod and Eisley, neither of whom seems to have done anything to deserve having theirs taken away.

HIGH PRAISE: In a Monday posting on SI.com, even before they beat the Nuggets to go 4-0 on Monday night, Sports Illustrated's Chris Ballard — who was in town last week while reporting a story on the Lakers — had rather high praise for Jazz coach Jerry Sloan's club.

"The Jazz may be the third-best team in the West, behind San Antonio and Minnesota — and they're not far from being second," Ballard wrote. "What really impressed me watching Utah's (season-opening win over the Lakers) was how cohesive the team looked."

MISC.: Jazz forward Carlos Boozer won the NBA's Community Assist honor for the month of August, and Jazz owner Larry H. Miller and president Dennis Haslam presented him with the award prior to Monday's game . . . Former Jazz swingman Bryon Russell came off the bench to score nine points on 3-of-5 shooting from the field, including 2-of-3 on trey attempts, for the Nuggets . . . Denver's starting point guard, ex-University of Utah star Andre Miller, committed four turnovers and shot just 4-of-12 from the field . . . Nuggets shooting guard Voshon Lenard had surgery Monday on his torn Achilles tendon and is expected to be out at least six months . . . Nene (hamstring strain) also did not play for Denver.

---

E-mail: tbuckley@desnews.com