McLeod likely to stay on injured list for now

Raul Lopez struggles to understand, Jerry Sloan says. Howard Eisley struggles to keep up, Larry H. Miller says. Keith McLeod struggles with the temptation to come back but probably won't soon, Gary Briggs says.

Briggs said Thursday he doubts McLeod will be cleared to return from a strained hamstring that already has caused him to miss seven games until sometime after next week's All-Star break.

That means a likelihood of three more games on the injured list, including tonight's against Minnesota, for the ex-Timberwolves guard who, before the injury, had been starting at the point for the Jazz.

"We might just hold him," said Briggs, adding McLeod still has not participated in a full practice since getting hurt Jan. 23 at Seattle.

With McLeod out, Lopez has been starting.

But he played only 16 minutes in Tuesday's loss at Denver, benched for the second half's start in favor of Eisley.

"He (Lopez) has to understand what we're trying to do," Sloan said. "We don't have to make great plays. Just make simple plays."

With McLeod out, Lopez struggling and ex-starting point Carlos Arroyo recently traded to Detroit, Eisley played 32 minutes in Denver.

Jazz owner Miller said he likes Eisley but suggested that's much too much time on a regular basis for the veteran guard.

"You've got so many of these quick, young kids that he (Eisley) is trying to stay up with," Miller said, "and (other teams) all seem to have big guys that set good picks on the 3-point line and little guys that are killing us that Howard can't get over the pick for.

"It's put a lot of pressure on Howard."

CARLOS AND CARLOS: The Jazz's owner thinks the six-year, $68 million contract Jazz starting power forward Carlos Boozer signed last July has caused newfound pressure for Boozer.

"It . . . thrust him into a position where it certainly would suggest he should be a leader on the team," Miller said, "both as a basketball player and as an emotional leader. That was a role he wasn't used to being in."

The same, Miller suggested, could be said for Arroyo, who was dealt just months after signing a four-year, $16 million deal: "He (Arroyo) got thrust into a high-expectation situation that was very difficult for him to handle emotionally."