Utah Jazz: Boozer may fly tonight vs. Hawks

When it happened, Carlos Boozer did not seem overly concerned.

"I don't think it's very serious," he said minutes after sustaining what was initially diagnosed as a strained quadriceps muscle.

Three-plus months and one arthroscopic knee surgery to clean out debris later, Boozer evidently is ready to return to the Jazz lineup.

The club's leading scorer and rebounder suggested prior to practice Sunday that if he made it through the workout and a scrimmage sans setback, he'd be good to go when the 33-23 Jazz play host to Atlanta tonight.

He not only did that, but also did extra drills afterward, making it possible that for the first time this season the Jazz will have its originally planned starting lineup — and all 15 roster members — actually available on the same evening.

For a team that even without the two-time All-Star and two-time Olympic power forward is 7-1 so far in February and winners of four straight games — including quality victories over the Los Angeles Lakers, Boston and New Orleans — that is both comforting and encouraging.

"This is the best it's felt since I've been hurt," said Boozer, who was injured when he landed awkwardly on his leg late in a Nov. 19 home game against Milwaukee.

"I think we're in a really good place," he added on a day that dawned with the Jazz still clinging to the Western Conference's eighth and final playoff position. "We have 26 games left, and we're in a good position to continue to climb the ladder a little bit."

If Boozer indeed is available he'll be re-inserted straight into the starting lineup and replacement starter Paul Millsap will return to the bench, Jazz coach Jerry Sloan said.

Boozer — who in 12 games before getting hurt averaged 20.5 points and 11.7 rebounds — said he'll initially play "limited minutes, probably five minutes a quarter, just depending on how it goes."

It could be two weeks before he's ready for regular minutes, which earlier this season meant an average of almost 34 per game.

"We'll see how it goes," he said. "I think because I have been out I'm not at the level I was at when I got hurt. And obviously I want to get back to that shape — where I can go 40 minutes, and carry my team.

"It's something you have to build up to," Boozer added. "You can do treadmills and ellipticals all day long, but the only way to really be in playing shape is about playing."