Scott lauded Brown, who didn't fare well with Jazz coach Jerry Sloan during his one year in Utah last season.

"He helped save the season," Scott said of Brown, who joined the Hornets in late December. "He helped give us a chance to be in a position to still have a chance to make the playoffs.

"I love him for what he brings and the fact he's a good guy and deserves to be in this league."

ALUMNI UPDATE II, OOPS: An intended game-ending ball heave by ex-Jazz big man Michael Ruffin of the Wizards went awry Friday, landing in the hands of Toronto's Morris Peterson.

Peterson promptly hit a buzzer-beating 3-pointer to force overtime, leading to a Raptors win over Washington.

"My natural reaction was to just throw the ball in the air and let time run out, but I didn't get a good throw on it, and there was a little more time than I thought," Ruffin told the Washington Post. "When I threw it, it kind of slipped off my palm."

MISC.: Backup small forward Matt Harpring, who missed the Jazz's last two games due to a stomach virus that prompted a Wednesday hospital visit, flew Saturday to Houston from Utah as pre-planned and intends to play today. Harpring did not, however, make it to town in time for a morning practice ... The Jazz's Paul Millsap (pinkie finger avulsion fracture), Andrei Kirilenko (jammed thumb) and Gordan Giricek (bruised ribs) all practiced Saturday despite lingering injuries and plan to play today ... The Jazz's new theme slogan for this year's playoffs is "It's Electrifying!"

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E-mail: tbuckley@desnews.com