Utah Jazz notebook: Unselfishly sharing the ball has boosted Utah's fortunes

SALT LAKE CITY — They've had two four-game win streaks in their last nine games, wrapped around a loss at Denver.

Crucial to it all, coach Jerry Sloan remains convinced, is the way the Jazz have been sharing the ball.

"That's been a big key for us — passing the basketball, and trying to get somebody an easier shot," he said after Utah had 27 assists in Wednesday's win at Portland.

"We're not looking at guys like, 'This guy can't shoot it,' " added Sloan, whose Jazz open a four-game homestand tonight vs. Sacramento.

"We're not making those decisions. We're just passing the basketball naturally, and guys are shooting the ball better than they would ordinarily, I think, in that case."

The Jazz have had 27 or more assists during eight of their last nine games, including two with 30.

Utah leads the NBA in assists per game at 26.15, two-plus better than the rest of the pack.

Point guard Deron Williams, for one, agrees that that has much to do with Utah's recent run of success.

"We know what makes us successful," he said. "You know, we've had good games, we've had bad games. The games we win, usually there's a lot of assists, a lot of people touching the ball, a lot of people being unselfish, and we're playing better defense. When we lose, we're being selfish, not helping each other defensively.

"And we just realize if we want to be an elite team we have to start doing those things. ... We know what we've got to do."

BOOZER UPDATE: Power forward Carlos Boozer was seen by a team doctor and underwent an MRI exam Thursday on his strained right calf, but the Jazz said test results won't be revealed until today.

"We won't know anything until (then)," Jazz general manager Kevin O'Connor said Thursday night.

O'Connor said Boozer hasn't been ruled in or out for tonight's game, and his status beyond then remains equally uncertain.

Boozer strained his right calf during the third quarter of Utah's 106-95 win Wednesday.

KOUFOS RECALLED: The Jazz on Thursday recalled second-year big man Kosta Koufos from the Utah Flash, their NBA Development League affiliate.

The recall was made largely because of the uncertainty surrounding Boozer. Jazz backup center Kyrylo Fesenko also remains out with a sprained left ankle that's sidelined him for six straight games.