New Larry H. Miller book a treasure trove

LOS ANGELES — In a rather roundabout way, Los Angeles Lakers owner

Jerry Buss can take a slice of credit for the Jazz being his franchise's

opponent in their second-round NBA playoff series that gets underway

today.

That's the extrapolation from one of many

Jazz-related anecdotes in \"Driven,\" the newly released autobiography of

late Jazz owner Larry H. Miller ($25.99; Deseret Book).

After agreeing to purchase half of the

franchise from former owner Sam Battistone, a sale that paved the way to

his saving the team and eventually buying it in full, Miller was

questioned by members of the NBA's finance committee.

He was getting grilled during a meeting in

New York by then-San Antonio Spurs owner Angelo Drossos when, as Miller

remembers, Buss came to his rescue.

Recalls Miller in the book: \"Angelo, for some

reason, took the lead in the meeting and asked me a question. Midway

through my answer, he interrupted and asked me another question. Midway

through my next question, he interrupted me again with another question.

... After the fifth interruption, Buss, whom I had never met,

interrupted Angelo.

\" 'Angelo, why don't you shut up and let him

answer a question?' ... Jerry saved me that day. I won approval from the

owners.\"

Had he not, the Jazz might not exist today —

and there's no telling whom the Lakers might be playing this postseason.A few other newsy and notable Jazz anecdotes from \"Driven\":Miller reveals the long-secret story of former

center Greg Ostertag's worst pass ever: \"Once, in the locker room at

halftime, (coach) Jerry (Sloan) was talking to the team and said