Utah Jazz: Johnson much more comfortable as No. 2

Phil Johnson played the part of bench boss during the Utah Jazz's loss Friday night in his second stint as the understudy head coach this season.

Even before getting stunned by Minnesota, the 20-year Jazz assistant and former NBA coach of the year said he doesn't particularly enjoy taking the lead role in place of Jerry Sloan.

"I'd just as soon have everybody here and play," Johnson said prior to tipoff.

Johnson took the reins from Sloan for this game because the Jazz coach was with family in McLeansboro, Ill., for the funeral of his older brother. Charles "Buck" Sloan, 80, passed away on Tuesday and will be buried during services today in the Sloans' Illinois hometown.

Sloan will rejoin the team in New Orleans for Sunday night's game, which will come as a relief to his faithful sidekick, who has extra duties in his boss' absence. One of those chores, he deadpanned, is particularly painful.

"I basically do two jobs," Johnson said, "and it's a switch for me because I have to deal with the media, which I don't have to do before. That's the best part of my other job."

Especially after unexpected losses.

Johnson was the courtside chief in the Jazz's second game this season — a 101-79 blowout win over the Los Angeles Clippers on Nov. 1, 2008 — because Sloan was under the weather.

The Jazz fell to 9-7 in Sloan's absence.

Johnson doesn't intend on speaking with Sloan until he meets up with the team in New Orleans for Sunday's game.

"It's an early game," Johnson said, "so hopefully he'll be able to get there OK."

IDENTITY CRISIS?: TNT NBA analysts Charles Barkley and Kenny Smith said they aren't sure the Jazz are who they think they are.

Smith called Utah a "marked team" after the Jazz's 114-104 loss at Denver on Thursday. However, neither former player believes Utah fully comprehends that.

"They don't realize that people understand that they have an opportunity to win the Western Conference," Smith said. "So when they walk into that building they are no longer that team that sneaks up on you, so people get ready for you."

Barkley agreed.