Webster schooled Miles

As 21-year-old Martell Webster ran circles around 20-year-old C.J. Miles early in the third quarter of Portland's win over the Jazz on Saturday night, shoulders slump and body language spoke of one rather flustered defender.

By the time Miles was pulled in favor of a succession of Jazz defenders who had not much better luck than him, Webster already had five baskets and 12 of the whopping 24 points he would score in the quarter.

Miles, meanwhile, watched the rest from the Jazz bench, a third-year pro seemingly deflated over what had just happened.

"Well, he's got to grow up," Jazz coach Jerry Sloan said when asked what he can do to help keep Miles from feeling that way. "When things don't go well for him, he's got to keep battling. He can't feel sorry for himself.

"And we've talked about that with him since he's been here," Sloan added with regard to Miles, who started at small forward Saturday in place of the injured Andrei Kirilenko (lower-back inflammation; day-to-day) and is trying to fend off recently acquired Kyle Korver as the Jazz's primary backup shooting guard. "He has to learn to fight through that. Every young player wants those opportunities, and when they get 'em they've got to continue to grow with it. That's something hopefully he'll do a better job (with) the next time he plays."

Miles suggested much the same as he looked ahead to Utah's home game Tuesday night against Indiana.

"I'll watch the film ... so I can figure out better ways to do it," he said.

PERSPECTIVE: Some perspective on Webster's amazing third quarter Saturday: Though at 24 it was nine points shy of George Gervin's record for most points in a quarter by a Jazz opponent — part of Gervin's individual-opponent record 63-point game against the New Orleans Jazz in 1978 — it was only one off Terry Porter's 1992 record for most points in a quarter by a Portland player, and just one off Karl Malone's 1998 record for most points in a quarter by a member of the Jazz.

And the performance really did wow Utah players and coaches alike.

"Basically what they did was give him the freedom to go wherever he wants to go," Korver said.

"They did a good job screening for him and helped him get open, and I thought we did a poor job of trying to bump and try to get our body into the guy," Sloan added. "I mean, that's one of the things that we've had a little problem with all year is being able to play defense off the baseline — and we certainly had a terrible time doing it (Saturday night)."