Utah Jazz: Price stitches together key contributions

After crashing to the floor on a hard second-quarter foul by the Lakers' Ronny Turiaf Sunday, Jazz backup point guard Ronnie Price, eight inches shorter and 60 pounds lighter, jumped up off the floor and started toward Turiaf and had a few words for him. Then he cooled quickly and went in a different direction, his brow bleeding from contact with the floor.

"Emotions are going. Things happen. It was just a reaction," said Price, who took four stitches to his right eyebrow and came back to make what teammate Carlos Boozer called the play of the game in the fourth quarter of Utah's overtime 123-115 win over Los Angeles to tie the series at two games apiece at EnergySolutions Arena.

"I stopped myself because I realized maybe it was just an accident," said Price. "I'm pretty sure it was.

"Just the playoffs, that's all I can say," he added. "It happens. Me and Ronny are good friends. We came out pretty much the same year. He probably didn't mean to foul me like that, but you know, your emotions run and things happen."

Turiaf received a flagrant 2 foul and ejection and could be subject to further NBA discipline for the play at 10:07 of the second quarter.

Price had stolen the ball from Turiaf after Turiaf had made a steal from Utah's Matt Harpring, and Price raced downcourt. But a foul was called against the Lakers' Sasha Vujacic as Price drove. Turiaf blocked Price's path and came down with his arms to prevent the shot, knocking Price backward, his feet up in the air.

Turiaf was quickly ejected.

"In no way, shape or form was I trying to hurt anybody," said Turiaf, who played his college ball at former Jazz guard John Stockton's alma mater, Gonzaga in Spokane.

"In no way, shape or form was I trying to do anything dirty.

"I tried to go for the blocked shot. Our bodies kind of collided, and he fell to the floor."

Turiaf added, "Everybody is questioning my character."

Said Price, "I don't look at him as a bad guy at all, and I don't think that people should throw that kind of reputation on him.

"I'm over it, and I hope that whatever happens with him is not too critical, but I can't be the judge of that. The league has to be the judge of that."

Laker coach Phil Jackson said the call was not right. "Absolutely not. I thought the kid (Price) was out of control when he went in. Ronny did go up to block the shot, but I think he entirely played the ball. I was very surprised (Turiaf) was put out of the ballgame."