Utah Jazz capitalized on long break

OAKLAND, Calif. — Several Jazz players eventually wandered out to watch.

But down 10 points at the break Friday night in Sacramento, the Jazz mostly took advantage of a special halftime ceremony that lasted roughly half-an-hour — the retirement of former Kings star Chris Webber's jersey No. 4 — to regroup.

Kings interim head coach Kenny Natt saw it coming, too.

"I warned my guys at halftime that (Jazz coach Jerry) Sloan was really stirring those guys up over there, and they were going to come out after us," said Natt, the ex-Jazz guard and assistant coach.

"That's exactly what they did," Natt added. "They were the aggressors in the third quarter. They got into the bonus really early, and got us in foul trouble early. We had nine minutes left (in the quarter), and they were shooting free throws on every foul. That put us in a little funk there."

The Jazz, who visit Golden State tonight, did take the third quarter 35-22 and went on to win 111-107.

Yet Sloan dismissed the halftime-was-key theory, saying, "I thought our zone helped us, personally."

One who didn't come out to watch the ceremony, by the way, was Jazz point guard Deron Williams, who wound up scoring a team-high 34 points for a second straight night.

Said Williams: "I sat back here (in the locker room) the whole time and kind of got my legs back, stretched again and I was ready to go the second half."

MEDICAL UPDATE: The Jazz are calling usual starting small forward C.J. Miles a "game-time decision" for tonight's meeting with the Warriors.

Miles has missed the past two games due to bronchitis.

Usual backup shooting guard Kyle Korver has started in Miles' place and usual starting shooting guard Ronnie Brewer has opened at small forward while Miles has been out. But Sloan — who because of 129 man-games lost to injury or illness has used 14 different starting lineups this season — indicated Miles would return as a starter when he's healthy.

EUROPE TRIP: The New York Post reported Saturday that economy woes have claimed the New York Knicks' planned excursion to Italy next preseason.

The Jazz have been identified as a likely possibility to play exhibition games in Europe next October as well, and as of Saturday there was no indications within the organization that their trip would be cancelled as well.