Arroyo promises to stay focused

NEW YORK — Last time he was here, Carlos Arroyo sprained an ankle. Since, his life has taken more twists and turns than those out-of-control New York cabbies.

In a span of less than eight weeks, Arroyo has gone from being the Jazz's starting point guard to the injured list, back to the starting lineup to Jazz coach Jerry Sloan's doghouse to a backup who desperately wants back his high-profile job.

"I just try to go out there and just help the team," Arroyo said after the 10-14 Jazz lost for the ninth time in 11 games, falling Friday night in Boston. "They pay me to do a job, and that's what I'm going to do.

"It doesn't matter if I start or I don't start. I mean, I'd love to start. They gave me the job, and I think I've done a good job by running the team. But right now I think Jerry's looking for different options because we're not winning.

"If he can do things that will change things — a starting lineup here and there — and it's going to do us better, and be the best for the team, then let it be," added Arroyo, the Jazz starter at the point for all but two of his games since John Stockton retired. "But I would love to start. And I think I'm a starter. And I believe in my talent and what I can do."

Such was the plea Friday, a few hours after Arroyo and Sloan met to hash out and put behind them the incident that had both so hot earlier in the week.

Last Tuesday at the Delta Center, just before the Jazz embarked on a five-game trip that continues today against the Knicks in Madison Square Garden, Sloan got upset with Arroyo.

Arroyo gestured in Sloan's general direction during the third quarter of a game against the Los Angeles Clippers, and the two traded barbs.

The next night in Phoenix, and again Friday in Boston, Arroyo found himself coming off the bench behind usual backup Raul Lopez.

That's not a happy place for Arroyo, who sprained his left ankle when the Jazz were visiting the Knicks for their preseason finale late in October.

Not that any of the Jazz's point guards have been particularly cheery this holiday season.

The Jazz have four in all, and that's just not a healthy situation.

When Arroyo went down, Lopez was out with a cartilage problem that required eventual arthroscopic surgery on his already twice-reconstructed knee.

Current No. 4 point Keith McLeod had a terrible training camp, so the Jazz signed ex-Stockton backup Howard Eisley after he was bought out by Phoenix.