Utah Jazz notebook: Millsap provides spark off the bench

SAN ANTONIO — Lost in the Jazz's first win in San Antonio since February of 1999 was the off-the-bench play Thursday night of backup power forward Paul Millsap, who had 20 points and seven rebounds in 37 minutes.

"He just hustled ... and made his shots," Jazz coach Jerry Sloan said, "and that was rewarding for us because then they had to get out and guard him a little more."

Millsap scored five of his points during a close fourth quarter, and finished 8-for-12 from the field.

"Just playing basketball," Millsap said. "Everybody played well. We played as a team, and everybody contributed."

Millsap seemed much happier that the Jazz broke a 23-game regular season/postseason losing streak in San Antonio than he did about any of his personal accomplishments.

"It's satisfying," he said. "It's great. You can tell in the locker room we accomplished something, and we played as a team.

"I'm glad I'm part of this, to get this win for (Sloan)," he added. "It means a lot."

NO SURGERY FOR PRICE: Jazz combo guard Ronnie Price has opted against having surgery to repair his injured toe.

The Utah Valley product sprained his left big toe in a Nov. 9 win at New York, and he underwent two MRI exams and saw a specialist earlier this week.

"It was determined by a consensus of our doctors that any surgery would not benefit (Price's) return to play," trainer Gary Briggs said in a statement released by the Jazz. "He'll continue with aggressive rehab."

Price has missed five straight games, including Thursday's.

The Jazz are hoping that by avoiding clean-out surgery for now he'll be able to return sooner rather than later, and he won't have to miss additional multiple weeks.

The club, however, released no specific timetable for his anticipated return.

With Price out, rookie Eric Maynor has been backing up starter Deron Williams at the point.

OKUR UPDATE: Jazz starting center Mehmet Okur missed a second straight game due to flu-like symptoms.

But he was feeling a bit Thursday night, and it's believed he is not suspected to have the H1N1 flu.

With Okur out, backup Kyrylo Fesenko made his second straight start and third of the season.

MISC.: One of Thursday's referees was Joe Crawford, who also happened to be one of the three refs working the Jazz's last win in San Antonio back on Feb. 28, 1999. ... Rookie Wesley Matthews made his fourth straight start at shooting guard and finished with five points in 20 minutes. ... Injured Jazz swingmen C.J. Miles (thumb surgery) and Kyle Korver (knee surgery) both made the trip and watched in street clothes. ... The Jazz's 20 points in the first quarter Thursday tied a season-low, but they also allowed a season-low 83 points — seven fewer than their previous low of 90 in a win over Philadelphia last Friday. ... Utah is 6-1 when Millsap and Carlos Boozer, who scored 18 Thursday, combine for at least 25 points.

e-mail: tbuckley@desnews.com