Future with Jazz? For now, Sloan's living in the present

If Jerry Sloan is so caught up in Jazz playoff fever that he's already decided for certain he'll return to coach against next season, he isn't willing to admit it.

Nor is he about to suggest he's contemplating retirement.

Rather, Sloan — whose next season with the Jazz would be his 20th — is simply enjoying the ride.

"I'm not even worried about next year right now," said Sloan, whose club beat San Antonio on Saturday night in Game 3 of the NBA's Western Conference finals.

"I haven't even given it any thought," added Sloan, who is tenured with the same team longer than any coach or manager in major American professional sports. "As usual, you're just trying to get through the day."

Before committing to return for one more season, the Jazz coach — at least over the last several years — has always taken at least a few days or weeks to decompress.

And it will be much the same in 2007, no matter how much fun Sloan may be having by watching his team take part in the playoff for the first time in four years.

"It's not about me, anyway," he said.

GREAT DEBATE: Asked Saturday if, given the choice, he'd take retired Jazz two-time NBA MVP Karl Malone or Spurs NBA MVP Tim Duncan, Sloan was diplomatic with his response.

"I was with (Malone) all those years and he played a long time 18 years. He was there every day," the Jazz coach said. "Duncan has won championships. He has done a great job.

"That's a tough question for me, because I'm prejudiced to start with," he added. "I'm very, very fond of Duncan."

After Saturday's game, Jazz point guard Deron Williams was asked about comparisons of him and power forward Carlos Boozer to retired Jazz stars Malone and point John Stockton.

"There are always going to be comparisons, because point guard, power forward — and coming in here a few years after those guys," Williams said. "(But) you can't compare us to those guys. We are 22 (Williams) and 25 years old, just starting our careers. Those guys are legends, two of the best that ever played the game. We've got a long way to go. We just want to be Deron and Booz — that's our main thing."

IT'S THE SHOE: Jazz forward Andrei Kirilenko on Saturday had to do something he never previously had to in a basketball game.

He had to replace a blown-out shoe, mid-game.