Boozer is still optimistic about bruised knee

Leaning on crutches before he left EnergySolutions Arena in the back of a utility cart, Carlos Boozer answered in the affirmative when asked if he was optimistic about his bruised left knee.

"Absolutely," said Boozer, who was hurt in the first quarter of Saturday's loss at Oklahoma City and did not play in Monday's loss to New Jersey. "That's the only way you can look at it."

Asked if he was fearful of missing the Feb. 18 NBA All-Star Game should he be chosen as a Western Conference reserve when selections are revealed Thursday, the Jazz's leading scorer and rebounder this season shook his head and made it clear that was not a concern.

Boozer had an MRI exam performed on the knee Sunday, but the Jazz would not release its results Monday because Boozer wanted to consult first with his own physician.

He had the Jazz send the test results to personal physician Dr. Richard Ferkel, the same Los Angeles orthopedic surgeon who treated Boozer for a foot injury that caused him to miss 31 games two seasons ago and a hamstring injury that caused him to miss 49 games last season.

"I'm having a second opinion before I give you guys a diagnosis," Boozer said.

Boozer said swelling was "way down" Monday, but he wouldn't commit to being ready for Wednesday's ESPN-televised game against San Antonio — or Saturday's visit to Phoenix

"I'm just being careful, being cautious," he said. "We'll just have to see."

It was initially believed Boozer was injured when he banged knees with Hornets center Tyson Chandler, but Boozer suggested he wasn't sure.

"My knee hit something on (Chandler's) way down," Boozer said. "I don't know if it was his knee or his foot."

LIKING MIKKI: With usual starter Nedad Kristic out with a torn anterior cruciate ligament in his left knee, undrafted ex-Jazz big man Mikki Moore has started 18 straight games at power forward or center for New Jersey.

Nets coach Lawrence Frank suggested Moore — who is averaging eight more minutes, 2.6 more points and 1.8 more rebounds than he has in the rest of his seven-team, nine-season NBA career — is making the most of a rare opportunity to play consistent minutes.

"He's maximized it," Frank said before Moore scored nine points and set a critical last-second screen Monday. "Mikki's in a real good place ... He's a team-first guy, plays with a great deal of passion."