Utah Jazz notes: Finding minutes for Millsap now a renewed priority for Sloan

SALT LAKE CITY — Jerry Sloan is committed to finding more minutes for power forward Paul Millsap, even after injured starter Carlos Boozer returns.

Sloan made that known after Friday's win over Sacramento in which Millsap had 32 points, 14 rebounds and seven assists, and he reiterated it prior to practice Sunday.

"We just have to look at it and see if we can find more minutes for Paul," the Jazz coach said.

But how?

Sloan offered some clues Sunday, and — save for when Boozer is out, as is the case tonight vs. Dallas — starting him wasn't one of them.

"Put him in the game a little earlier, I guess, if we're not playing well or struggling," he said. "We'll see what happens."

Sloan was asked about perhaps using the undersized Millsap more at small forward, but the notion was mostly squashed.

"He's probably most comfortable at 4 (power forward) or 5 (center)," he said. "When he's played 3, he's done OK. But we're also jam-packed with that."

Sloan did not, however, shy from the notion of playing longer with a smaller lineup — be it Boozer and Millsap together at 4 and 5, or even Millsap and starting small forward Andrei Kirilenko together as the team's two bigs at times.

"I know we have a tendency to worry too much about that," he said, "(but) sometimes those guys play better against bigger guys than they do against smaller guys.

"It's kind of tough," Sloan added, "to know exactly what to do."

Whatever Sloan does, Millsap — signed in the offseason to a four-year, $32 million contract, and Utah's projected starting power forward until Boozer's surprise return — suggested Sunday he's fine with it.

"It makes me feel a little bit better for him to even mention (the need for more playing time) or notice it," he said. "But, I mean, he's the coach. I've got to get in whenever he puts me in the game, and do what I can do. Other than that, I don't have any problem with the time I'm getting right now.

"I'm not making any assumptions (about the future) or anything like that," added Millsap, whose 26.6 minutes per game this season rank sixth behind usual starters Deron Williams (37.1), Boozer (35.0), Ronnie Brewer (32.4), Okur (29.0) and Kirilenko (29.0). "But however I'm utilized, I'm gonna get in and do it to the best of my ability, wherever that's at."

BOOZER UPDATE: Boozer didn't practice Sunday, instead doing only cardio work.

He missed Friday's game with a moderately strained left calf sustained in Wednesday's win at Portland, and he will be re-evaluated today.

Boozer could be ready to return by week's end, he suggested Sunday.

The Jazz play Portland again Wednesday, then are off until facing Denver on Saturday.