Utah Jazz: Millsap injury not too serious

OKLAHOMA CITY — An MRI exam performed Wednesday on the injured right knee of Jazz power forward Paul Millsap showed cartilage bruising but no structural damage, a team spokesman said Wednesday night.

"It's real good," Millsap said of the test results. "It lets me know it's not as serious as I thought it was. So, hopefully, a fast recovery, and I can get back out on the court."

Millsap missed a second straight game when the Jazz lost at Oklahoma City on Wednesday night, and is now listed by the club as being out "day-to-day."

The Jazz play next Friday night at Memphis, and when they do it's uncertain whether the Jazz's replacement starter at power forward for All-Star Carlos Boozer — who had missed 27 straight games now due to a damaged left knee that required arthroscopic surgery — will be able to go.

"It still don't feel right," Millsap, who bruised the knee when he knocked it against one of teammate Kyle Korver's in a win over Detroit last Saturday, said after Wednesday's morning shootaround.

Millsap said the joint hurts more than when he hyperextended his left knee and sprained its posterior cruciate ligament — an injury that caused him to miss three games late last month.

"When I run and jump on it," he said, "it hurts a lot."

Having the knee drained of excess fluid on Monday afternoon didn't help at all, Millsap added.

MILES OUT TOO: Also out Wednesday for the Jazz was starting small forward C.J. Miles, who missed a third straight game because of his sprained right ankle.

Miles did some shooting and running Wednesday morning, but ultimately opted against returning.

"There still are certain cuts that don't feel very good," he said.

"I felt decent," Miles added, "but I was (thinking), 'We've got two days before we play the next game, and if I'm a day away from feeling real good ... then it makes no sense to play today and not be able to play the next game."'

As a result, Miles — who hails from not-too-far-away Dallas — missed out on seeing some family.

"My Dad said he's not coming if I'm not playing," said Miles, who also has family in Oklahoma.

No worries, though.

Utah visits Dallas on Saturday night, and Miles — who signed an offer sheet with Oklahoma City this past summer, only to have it matched by the Jazz — will get to see his closest relatives then.