If only Robert Whaley kept his sharpest knives in the drawer, he might not have six stitches in his right hand.

Instead Whaley, the Jazz's 6-foot-10 rookie center, missed practice Sunday and didn't dress for Monday's meeting with Detroit due to what team officials initially called "a kitchen accident."

On Monday, Whaley offered details.

His 2-year-old son, Robert Jr., is so big he can easily be mistaken for a 5-year-old — "so he can actually get on the stool that's around my (kitchen) island," Whaley said, "and just grab whatever he wants."

Whaley — oops — kept his knife block on the island.

"He had a knife, singing," Whaley said. "I kind of scared him. He turned around and just threw it, not knowing any better. And I kind of tried to block it, and it just caught me right on the web."

Whaley went to a local hospital to have the laceration between his thumb and index finger stitched. The hand was swollen Monday, but Whaley hopes to return in "3-to-4 days."

The Jazz did question Whaley about the matter.

A Jazz official suggested the explanation was plausible, and the incident won't be held against the rookie whose one-year contract is not fully guaranteed.

OSTERTAG UPDATE: The Jazz said an MRI exam performed Monday on starting center Greg Ostertag's right knee was negative, but Ostertag still had a second straight early exit Monday night.

Ostertag, who left Friday's game against Seattle early because of knee pain, had an MRI performed last month, too.

"Nothing showed up," Ostertag said of the latest. "Nothing different from the other one."

Ostertag was back against Detroit, but exited prematurely again — this time after playing just two minutes — and didn't return.

WILLIAMS OUT, MCLEOD BACK: Jazz rookie point Deron Williams missed his first career game Monday with an ear infection. He warmed up before Monday's game, but has been bothered by dizziness the past two days.

Jazz point Keith McLeod, meanwhile, returned Monday after missing 13 games with a lower-back avulsion fracture.

WORST FEARS: McLeod was kneed by Bulls center Tyson Chandler Nov. 12 at Chicago. Days later, an avulsion fracture of the lumbar transverse process — a small, bony vertebrae attachment — was diagnosed.

"It sounds worse than it really is," McLeod said.