Utah Jazz: Okur says he will play vs. Rockets

Center Mehmet Okur made it through both weekend practices and said today that he'll play when the Jazz host the Houston Rockets tonight.

"I'm doing a lot better now," Okur said, "and I'm gonna be out there and play."

Okur mildly sprained both his left knee and left ankle trying to take a charge in the first minute of the 1-1 Jazz's season-opening loss at Denver last Wednesday night. He sat out Friday night's home-opener win over the Los Angeles Clippers.

He said he'll play tonight at EnergySolutions Arena with a brace on his still-painful knee.

"I don't like it," Okur said after today's morning shootaround, "but it is what it is, so I've got to play with it."

Backup Kyrylo Fesenko will return to the bench. Fesenko had 10 points on 5-for-6 field shooting while logging 20 minutes in a start against the Clippers.