Rock on ...

Call him D-Will

Houston's Tracy McGrady is not a popular figure in Salt Lake City for obvious reasons.

It didn't help his case last week, when commenting on Jazz guard Deron Williams, he said, "What is it? DARE-in? Da-RON?"

Actually, T-Mac, maybe this will help you remember: It's just like the song (Da-Do, Ron-Ron-Ron, Da-Do, Ron-Ron) only different.

Turkey of an offer

Williams was one grateful teammate last Saturday after Mehmet Okur rebounded his missed free throw with just seconds left, was fouled and sank two freebies that clinched the game.

"He saved my butt," said Williams. "I owe him something — buy him a car or something."

Just wondering, was he talking about a German car, an Italian car — or a Turkish car?

Indisputable

Masha Kirilenko's fashion boutique at The Gateway has found a new cash cow: Kyle Korver.

Apparently T-shirts that say "I (heart) Kyle Korver" and "Mrs. Korver" are doing well.

So well, in fact, that it's outselling the "I (heart) AK-47" shirts.

"I think Kyle is selling way more," Kirilenko told the Salt Lake Tribune. "Kyle is a little bit more good looking."

This much we know: His jump shot sure is.

Uninitiated

ESPN reporter Ric Bucher caused a stir in Salt Lake last week when he explained the Jazz's home court crowd thusly: "Let's be honest. They're Mormon. And they're in Salt Lake. And there's nothing else there. You've got to smile and be happy all the time. This might be one opportunity for fans to get vicious."

Clearly, Bucher has never experienced church ball.

Fair warning

Maybe the best response to Bucher's remarks was the Jazz enthusiast who showed up at ES Arena last week carrying a sign that said, "Caution: Vicious Mormon Fan."

Jarring reality

Jerry Sloan likes tough guys, and Houston forward Carl Landry is that and more.

Want proof?

He got a tooth knocked out during Game 3 last week, thanks to a Carlos Boozer elbow. But wait! That was just a fake tooth.

The real deal was a few days earlier.

"Hey, it's not as bad as everybody thinks," Landry told TNT's Craig Sager. "That is a bridge, a temporary tooth. My teammate Dikembe Mutombo knocked the permanent tooth out at practice a couple of weeks ago."

Seems the Rockets are beating the Jazz to everything, lately.

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E-mail: rock@desnews.com