Boozer feels deserving of an All-Star invitation

He finished fourth among Western Conference forwards with 553,624 votes, more than one million out of the top-two starting spots claimed by Denver's Carmelo Anthony and San Antonio's Tim Duncan for next month's NBA All-Star Game.

But Jazz power forward Carlos Boozer — who was selected as an All-Star reserve last year but didn't play because of an injury — has no doubts that he deserves a ticket to the league's Feb. 17 showcase game in New Orleans.

"I'm an All-Star," Boozer said Friday, the morning after starters chosen via fan balloting were announced.

"I'm not worried about it," added Boozer, the Jazz's leading scorer and rebounder. "If I don't go, that will be their mistake. That's how I feel about it."

Coaches from throughout the Western Conference will select the West's seven reserves, with their choices announced Thursday.

Jazz point guard Deron Williams, meanwhile, couldn't feel much more differently than Boozer.

Considered by many to be at least a reserve-spot contender, Williams — seeking his first All-Star appearance — didn't rank among the fans' top 10 Western guards.

He seems prepared for the possibility he'll be overlooked by conference coaches, too.

"I was disappointed last year," said Williams, who had a 16-point, 14-assist double-double Friday night to help the Jazz beat Sacramento 127-113 and improve to 25-18. "I think I'll be a little less-disappointed this year, just because our record is not as good — and I went through it last year, not making it."

ALMOND REASSIGNED: The Jazz on Friday reassigned rookie shooting guard Morris Almond to the Utah Flash, their NBA Development League affiliate.

"It seemed like everybody's healthy, (so) we decided to put him down there," Jazz coach Jerry Sloan said.

Almond, Utah's 2007 first-round draft choice, said he was "excited to get out there and see what I can do."

Recalled Jan. 8 to the NBA, Almond spent much of December with the Flash. He didn't play in the Jazz's five games prior to Friday but did score his first NBA points during his most-recent stint up.

Almond, who shot just 2-of-10 from the field in the Flash's 101-97 loss to Sioux Falls on Friday night, learned of the assignment during the Jazz's morning shootaround Friday.

"(Sloan) said, 'Good luck and play hard,' " said Almond, who will miss the Jazz's weekend road trip to Houston, where he played four years at Rice University.