Utah Jazz: Part of new holiday tradition?

Turkey, potatoes, pumpkin pie ... and NBA basketball.

The latter isn't exactly Thanksgiving tradition — certainly not in Utah — but tonight that won't stop the Jazz from playing on the holiday anyway.

Coach Jerry Sloan's 7-7 club plays host tonight to the Chicago Bulls, marking just the fourth Thanksgiving game in franchise history — and the first in the more than 30 years, when the team still called New Orleans home and the late, great Pistol Pete Maravich ruled the day.

For some, it's practically blasphemy — or at least a novelty.

"I'm not used to it," forward Paul Millsap said. "I'm used to spending the day with my family, you know? But I've got to come in and work. I've got a game, so you've just got to be ready for it."

Since the day point guard Deron Williams was born, Thanksgiving has mostly meant football — the Lions and Cowboys on TV.

"That's what I think about when I think about Thanksgiving," said Williams, who was raised in the Dallas area knowing the tube would be tuned to the NFL on the holiday.

Hoops, Bulls and Jazz? Why not just have pizza, a corndog and cotton candy today? For others, though, toiling on Thanksgiving will be no big deal.

"It's gonna be a regular day for me," said center Mehmet Okur, who is from Turkey — but doesn't celebrate by eating them.

"I always thought (playing on a special day)," Sloan added, "was something you adjust around your family the best you can. ... If you like to play basketball, you can always eat afterwards."

Even if it will be close to, if not past, midnight by the time most get home from a TNT-televised game with a supposed 8:30 p.m. start that likely won't tip off until closer to 9.

Ah, roasted chestnuts and cranberry sauce at the witching hour.

It doesn't get much more customary than that.

Still, Williams and rest of the Jazz will try to make the most of it.

"It should be fun," Williams said. "A lot of people will be watching, a lot of people will be tuned in, so it's a good chance for us to show the country what we've got."

"I'm sure," Sloan added, "there will be a few more people watching the game than they ordinarily would."