Utah Jazz notebook: Paul Millsap misses third straight game

CHICAGO — After missing the previous two games with a left knee injury, Paul Millsap thought he'd play Saturday against the Chicago Bulls.

Coach Tyrone Corbin even had Millsap penciled into his starting lineup for the first time since Monday.

That changed, however, after Millsap tested his knee in pregame warm-ups on the United Center court.

The patellar tendinitis that has caused Millsap so much pain lately flared up again, forcing him to the sideline for the third time in four nights.

"It's just painful to run on it," an obviously disgusted Millsap said.

Rookie Jeremy Evans started in place of Millsap, who missed just the 10th game in his five-year NBA career.

(Less surprisingly, ex-Jazz player Carlos Boozer also missed the game for Bulls because of an ankle injury.)

Not being able to go was a major disappointment for Millsap, who didn't try to hide his disappointment.

"It's a tough thing — a tough pill to swallow," Millsap said. "I just want to get back onto the court."

Millsap isn't sure how much longer he'll need to rest in order to allow his knee to fully heal. The Jazz follow their 1-3 Eastern road trip with a home game Monday against Philadelphia.

"I've been shutting it down," Millsap said. "Hopefully, over the next few days it'll be all right. I've just got to see what happens (today), the day after that."

THE OLIVE GORDON?: Rookie Gordon Hayward and Jeremy Evans have gotten teased by fans and received all sorts of media attention — from the Deseret News, to the Washington Post, to The Jim Rome Show — for picking the Olive Garden over Little Italy or any of the hundreds of eclectic and gourmet restaurants in New York City last week.

On Friday, Hayward — who's been nicknamed O.G. and Olive Gordon by clever Twitter posters — tweeted a retort to his culinary critics.

Hayward: "To everyone talking about my dinner selection I have four words ... endless salad and breadsticks."

His tweet ended: "#enoughsaid haha."

BIG DIFFERENCE: Prior to tipoff, Chicago coach TomThibodeau was asked what it would be like to not see resigned Jazz coach Jerry Sloan on the opposing sideline after his 23-year career.

"It is different, but a lot of him is still there — from how they play, to Ty Corbin (who) played for him and had been an assistant for a long time under him," Thibodeau said. "(Assistant) Scott Layden has been around him practically his whole life.

"They're the same," he added. "They're the same organization and represent all the things (Sloan) stood for and it's a part of their fabric."

COMPLIMENT CONTINUED: Thibodeau admitted he'd love to have a guy like Sloan — The Original Bull whose No. 4 jersey has been retired by Chicago — on his team.

"Any day. The guy was a fierce competitor as a coach, a fierce competitor as a player," Thibodeau said. "You can't say enough about him and what he meant to the game for coaches, players, everybody. He stood for what's good about the league."

TOUGH MEMORY: To a deafening roar, Michael Jordan, Scottie Pippen and the rest of the 1991 Chicago Bulls were honored Saturday for the 20th anniversary of the franchise's first NBA championship.

Corbin, who played college ball in nearby DePaul, was asked about his memories of playing against that Bulls' team.

"Toughness. They were tough. They were built to win it all," said the Jazz coach, who played for Minnesota that season. "They were cocky about what they did on the floor and they went out and did it."

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