Utah Jazz open series with a twist

LOS ANGELES — The Jazz will open their first-round NBA playoff series against the Los Angeles Lakers today with something of a twist.

Usual backup shooting guard Kyle Korver — who has started just two games this season, and only three over the past three seasons — will open at small forward over C.J. Miles for this afternoon's Game 1 of the best-of-seven series.

"We've got to be able to make some shots on the perimeter," Jazz coach Jerry Sloan said, "so they can't just play a total zone inside and let the big people camp out in there. ..."

"We'll see how it goes."

Korver gets the call partly because usual starting center Mehmet Okur, as expected, will not play — and the Jazz want to begin with a bona fide outside shooting threat on the floor.

"That has something to do with the decision to do that," Sloan said. "We'll just have to see how it works out. ... We'll see if we can get performance off the bench, better performance in the starting (unit). Everybody that steps out there has to play extremely well."

Sporadically used veteran big man Jarron Collins will open at center in place of Okur, who is out with a strained right hamstring sustained in last Monday's win over the Los Angeles Clippers.

"Jarron, he has to play," Sloan said. "He has experiencing playing. That's the one big thing about it. ... He'll set screens and help us the best way he can out there. That's what he's always done."

Sloan suggested he wasn't sure when Okur would be available during the series.

"Just when he's ready to go," he said. "Hopefully he's healthy when we put him out there."

Usual starting small forward Miles, who missed five of Utah's final six games of the regular season due to a dislocated index finger on his left (shooting) hand, will dress but not start.

"We'll see where he is," Sloan said when asked if he had have any hesitation using Miles off the bench. "He really hasn't practiced with us. ... But he got it going a little bit (Saturday).

Also today, the Jazz decided to dress reserve Kyrylo Fesenko on their 12-man active roster and make healthy rookie big man Kosta Koufos inactive.