Forward powers: Boozer & Co. have hands full with Duncan

In their first playoff series, the Utah Jazz had enough success against Houston's 7-foot-6 Yao Ming that they were able to advance after seven games. They didn't stop Yao, but they got by.

Today at 1:30 p.m. MDT, Carlos Boozer, Paul Millsap and the Jazz inside players have another low-block presence to combat, and Tim Duncan is simply the best there is at that position right now.

Game 1 of the Western Conference Finals is at San Antonio's AT&T Center, with Game 2 Tuesday at 7 p.m. MDT.

Forgive Boozer his enthusiasm. He's young and in his first playoff season, and meeting up with Duncan at this late stage is a rush for him.

"It's going to be exciting for me. He's arguably one of the better power forwards that ever played in the NBA, and I'm looking forward to the challenge," he said after Utah's final home workout before boarding the flight to Texas.

"He's probably the best post-up player that we have in the game, and for me that's exciting. As a competitor you want challenges, and what better challenge for a power forward than to go up against Tim Duncan?"

Boozer is an emerging star in the NBA, putting together 25 points and a dozen boards nearly every playoff game while trying, at least in the first series, to defend much bigger opponents. Duncan is 6-foot-11, averaging close to the same numbers as Boozer, 6-9.

Because their numbers reflect each other, and both can use either hand offensively, someone suggested they might be similar. Boozer would have none of it. "I don't think I'm similar to him at all. I think we both try to do a good job of trying to be a dominant inside presence for our teams," he said.

But Duncan, "I think he's the best post-up player we have in the game, probably the best post-up player in the world. He has every move," said Boozer, who enjoys basketball and obviously has tremendous respect for the best man at his position.

"He's very poised. He never gets rattled. He can pass out of a double-team. If he's single-covered, he can face you up and shoot off the glass, get a layup, he can spin-move baseline, left hook, right hook, fadeaway. He can do whatever he wants down there."

The Jazz, Boozer and Millsap, with probably Memo Okur or Jarron Collins taking turns, too, on San Antonio's focal point, will try to beat Duncan to spots down low, and they think they can have some success pushing him off his perch.