Boozer's 30-point effort earns Sloan's attention

MINNEAPOLIS — It's about time.

That's one way to interpret Jazz coach Jerry Sloan's thoughts on the game-high 30-point performance of Carlos Boozer in Utah's 103-95 win Friday at Minnesota.

"He's played pretty strong," Sloan said of Boozer, who made 13-of-23 shots from the field, most of them layups, dunks and short jumpers.

Boozer missed the season's first 49 games with a strained hamstring.

"He probably should start to be where about where he is after being out for a long period of time — and try to get into a rhythm," the Jazz coach added. "He looks good to me. He played extremely well. He's played extremely well for a couple weeks now."

Boozer, who went into Friday's outing averaging 14.7 points in his first 25 games back, has scored 30 points in three of his last 12 outings.

HOPE FOR HUMPHRIES: The Jazz were in Minnesota, meaning it must be time for another Kris Humphries update.

The Minnesota native who played one year at the University of Minnesota being taken as a lottery pick in the 2004 NBA Draft played just three scoreless seconds Friday.

Sloan, though, continues to have high hopes for the seldom-used forward's future.

"He works hard," the Jazz coach said. "He's a strong young man. He's only (21) years old. It's up to him to try to recognize some of the things that are talked about every day and not just let it slip through his fingers.

"But I've got to remember he's (21) years old," Sloan added. "Do I expect him to play like he's 28? That's not fair. You know, he missed a lot of stuff in college."

SORRY: Utah closes a back-to-back set tonight vs. Portland.

The last Jazz-Trail Blazers meeting, a 102-89 Utah win at Portland on April 1, ended with a late-game, and somewhat controversial, Andrei Kirilenko dunk.

Afterward, both Kirilenko and Sloan apologized profusely to the Portland organization for the meaningless basket.

On Friday, Sloan said he intends to soon personally pass those same sentiments along to Blazers coach Nate McMillan

"I (hope) to be able to say something to him before (tonight's) game," the Jazz coach said. "We'll just have to see what transpires."

MISC.: Mehmet Okur's 19 points and 13 rebounds marked the Jazz big man's team-high 32nd double-double of the season. Okur came into the game ranked tied for 12th among NBA leaders in double-doubles . . . Devin Brown played a bench-high 30 minutes Friday, scoring 15 points on 5-of-10 shooting from the field — and drawing Sloan's admiration for his play at the 2-spot. "If we're able to shoot the ball from that position," Sloan said, "that's certainly a help for us." . . . Injured Jazz players Robert Whaley (back spasms), out-for-the-season Gordan Giricek (Achilles tendinitis) and out-for-the-season Andre Owens (tibia stress-fracture surgery) all did not travel.

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