Utah Jazz: Almond to start tonight against Orlando

The Jazz plan to start Morris Almond at shooting guard for tonight's home game against Orlando.

Almond will open in place of usual starter Ronnie Brewer, who traveled out-of-state to mourn the death of a maternal aunt.

Jazz coach Jerry Sloan earlier indicated he was considering starting usual sixth man/small forward Andrei Kirilenko along with swingan/starting small forward C.J. Miles, but according to a team spokesman he suggested otherwise at today's morning shootaround.

Almond, a first-round draft choice from Rice University in 2007, is a sporadically used reserve whose rookie contract option for next season wasn't even picked up by the Jazz.

Brewer, who'll be missing his first game of the season, is expected to re-join the team in Boston in time for the start of a five-stop Eastern road trip that opens with Monday's game against the Celtics.

As expected, the Jazz again will be without Carlos Boozer tonight - with Paul Millsap again starting in place of the injured All-Star power forward. Millsap goes into the night with 10 straight double-doubles.