Jazz just can't find 'zone' during recent road skid

ORLANDO — It's been just one problem among many during the Jazz's current seven-game road losing streak. Still, Utah's inability to bust zone defenses lately has been a hot topic for the struggling team.

When facing various zones, point guard Deron Williams said recently, "We start thinking a little bit too much."

After stumbling against Charlotte's zone in a 98-92 loss Wednesday to the Bobcats, coach Jerry Sloan said, "Probably as much as anything, we need to practice and see if we can do a better job handling situations when teams get into a zone against us."

Prior to practice Thursday, Sloan offered what he sees as a rather simple solution.

"You break a zone by making shots ... You have to be able to make outside shots," he said. "You can't always get layups. And that's one of the things we've had a difficult time doing, is making shots.

"We'd like if we can get the ball inside rather than just come down and fire up, take the 3, just for the sake of taking it. If you can get the zone to collapse on somebody inside, we think we have a little better look at the basket," the Jazz coach added. "That's the only reason we try to move people though the middle of it, try to get some ball movement, some player movement, to where you have a chance to get a decent shot ... But you still have to make outside shots."

HEALTH MATTERS: Usual starting center Mehmet Okur didn't plan to take part in contact drills during Thursday's practice, making his status for tonight doubtful yet again.

"Hopefully I'll be better in the morning for shootaround," said Okur, who has missed five straight games with a strained left shoulder. "If not, probably I am going to miss (Friday)."

Meanwhile, Jazz backup forward Matt Harpring, who has missed three games due to gastrointestinal issues and has been undergoing medical testing in Utah this past week, was scheduled to arrive in Orlando late Thursday night and is expected to be in uniform tonight.

TV TALK: Usual Jazz television play-by-play announcer Craig Bolerjack is calling Saturday's Florida at Ohio State college basketball game for CBS.

Bolerjack will be replaced by Steve Brown both tonight in Orlando on FSN Utah and Saturday night in Miami on KJZZ.

HE SAID IT: Michael Jordan, on the Jazz: "Utah's struggling, but they are very solid in screen-and-rolls."