Utah Jazz: C.J. Miles retakes starting spot

ORLANDO — Rookie shooting guard Wesley Matthews had started 19 straight games, and was lauded throughout the stint for strong play as a defender — grading out as the Jazz's best so far this season.

But coach Jerry Sloan decided to make a switch, and did so starting with Monday night's loss at Orlando.

Saying he preferred length and experience, Sloan instead opened with swingman C.J. Miles — the Jazz's starting small forward in every game he played last season.

With Miles back, Ronnie Brewer — who had been starting at small forward while Matthews played shooting guard — shifted back to the 2-guard spot.

"His conditioning is getting better, I think, to where he can help," Sloan said of Miles, who has played 10 games since preseason surgery to repair a ruptured thumb ligament.

"You see a lot of young guys having to adjust and do the different things in the game," the Jazz coach added. "You've got to be able to do that. C.J. has the ability to do that probably a little bit better, because he's been here five years. Wes has been here two months."

Matthews was undrafted out of Marquette.

"Wes — I know (the change) has probably bothered him. But he'll be fine, hopefully, if he just continues to work and waits for another opportunity to come up," Sloan said.

"When you play rookies," he added, "and play them a lot of time, it's tough. ... It wasn't anything that (Matthews) did. It's just that experience is a great teacher."

Matthews, who helped the Jazz go 13-6 when he started, seemed to take the decision hard.

"All I can worry about is what I can control," he said. "You know, I can't control if I start the game, when I get put in, if I get put in, none of that.

"All I can do is when I'm in there, if I'm in there, be me," Matthews told reporters after the Jazz's morning shootaround. "You know, you guys have seen me. You guys have seen me play, and that's what I'm gonna continue to do, continue to be."

Asked if he understood Sloan's desire for experience, Matthews said, "I guess. I can't really go against it, you know? That's a Hall-of-Fame coach. He's seen the game a lot. I trust him. But, again, I can't control that. You know, I am a rookie. But I haven't played like it, and I can't play like it with this type of system and this type of environment. But I respect his decision, and we'll go from there."

Sloan said opponents "went right at (Matthews) a couple of times the last couple games," Friday's loss at Atlanta and Saturday's win at Charlotte in which Matthews was benched at halftime.