"I said to be careful with it," Boozer said. "The tough thing about it now for him is that we're in the playoffs. This is the part of the season every player looks forward to and wants to be in no matter what.

"The tough thing about it is if he does come back too soon, he could reinjure it and he could be out for even longer, especially if we advance. I just told him, 'Be careful with it, listen to your body and take your time.' "

Boozer remembered feeling so much better three weeks after his initial injury that he got excited about returning and tore the hamstring in practice. "They compare it to a groin because you feel better, but it's still a little torn," Boozer said.

Okur again said he was getting better but was "not quite" ready to play.

He did some light shooting and running Monday and Tuesday and worked out on an elliptical machine at the conclusion of Tuesday's pregame shootaround to stay conditioned.

Jazz coach Jerry Sloan was asked if he was surprised that Okur's injury has kept him out for more than a week. "Not when you get a hamstring," Sloan said. "You better get it taken care of. Those things can really cause you a lot of problems."

The Jazz went with their same starting five as in Game 1, with veteran Jarron Collins taking Okur's place and Kyle Korver giving the Jazz another shooter in the lineup. Matt Harpring , meanwhile, skipped shootaround because he was sick but was in the lineup Tuesday. Harpring suffered a stomach reaction to the antibiotics he received last week for a nasal infection.

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Great expectations

They have been at full strength -- or close to it -- since Feb. 23, but Sloan returned to the Jazz's injury-ravaged start in talking Tuesday about the predicament they find themselves in, playing the top-seeded Lakers.

"I said this team would be a very good team at the beginning of the year, if we could stay healthy," Sloan added. "Most people didn't hear that part of it. They took the first part of it, but that's OK."

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Developing situation

With the Utah Flash advancing to the NBA Development League Finals, Sloan not only said he was "thrilled to death" for coach Brad Jones , who is his nephew, but also reminded reporters that he is a Flash season-ticket holder.

"They've worked hard, they do a good job working with young guys," Sloan said. "They've had a couple of our guys down there. It's fun to see them have some success."

rsiler@sltrib.com