Ostertag comes up big for Jazz in early going

With would-be starting power forward Carlos Boozer sidelined by a strained left hamstring, reacquired center Greg Ostertag made his way into the opening lineup for the Jazz's season-opener Wednesday.

Jazz coach Jerry Sloan started Ostertag, who had 296 starts during his first nine-year stint in Utah, alongside Mehmet Okur at power forward and Andrei Kirilenko.

Ostertag responded with a six-rebound, five-block, two-point effort in 19 minutes, all of which came during the first three quarters of a 93-82 Delta Center win over Dallas.

"Our guys executed pretty well," Sloan said of the Jazz's 19-11 start, "and Greg was a huge factor in that, because he was able to not give them easy baskets inside."

Sloan did not, however, play Ostertag down the stretch.

"He got a little tired," the Jazz coach said. "You know, there's a difference when you talk about your conditioning: if you take five pounds off, then you don't get tired until the end of 13 minutes instead of nine or 10."

Point Keith McLeod and shooting guard Gordan Giricek started in the backcourt for the Jazz.

MOVIN' ON UP: With the win, Sloan moved into a tie with Bill Fitch for fifth place on the NBA's all-time coaching victories list with 944.

Only leader Lenny Wilkens, Don Nelson, Pat Riley and Larry Brown have more.

DRESSING UP: With the NBA's new dress code policy in effect, the Jazz's inactive players were stylin' as they sat behind the Utah bench.

Boozer went with a classic black suit, rookie Andre Owens had a pinstripe suit complemented by a purple shirt, and rookie C.J. Miles looked quite snappy with a gray blazer and black slacks.

Rookie big man Robert Whaley, technically on the Jazz's active roster, was not allowed in the Delta Center while serving the first of a two-game unpaid suspension for throwing a punch during a preseason game against the Los Angeles Lakers.

ABSENT RUSSIAN: The Mavericks were without second-year center Pavel Podkolzine, the 7-foot-5 Russian giant drafted for Dallas by the Jazz back in 2003.

Podkolzine is out three to four months after undergoing pin-insertion surgery for a stress fracture in his right foot Tuesday.

FRISBY HONORED: At halftime Wednesday, the Jazz honored 100-year-old "super fan" Cliff Frisby.

According to the Jazz, the Heber resident "has passed his love for the Jazz to his family of five children, 28 grandchildren, 48 great-grandchildren and 34 great-great-grandchildren.

Frisby was accompanied by his 80-year-old daughter, Reve Risner.

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E-mail: tbuckley@desnews.com