With 48 hours to go until they open the playoffs Sunday against the L.A. Lakers, the Jazz still weren't sure Friday whether center Mehmet Okur would be able to play after straining his right hamstring Monday.
Okur continues to receive treatment and pronounced himself "a little bit better," but said, "I can't really do anything right now" and is still bothered by tightness and soreness in the hamstring. He did not take part in any court work Friday. "I am worried because I was [so] excited to play in the playoffs," Okur said. "I can't do anything about injuries right now. Stuff like that happens. You can't control it. We've got a couple days."
The Jazz recalled rookie Kosta Koufos from the NBA Development League's Utah Flash on Friday, giving them an extra big man to take to Los Angeles for Game 1. Jazz coach Jerry Sloan was asked if recalling Koufos cast doubt on Okur's readiness.
"I can't answer that question," Sloan said. "We're going to have to try to be prepared to do the best we can whether he's there or not, just like we played them the other day."
Okur was injured when Deron Williams hit him with a pass for a layup with 5:02 left in the first quarter of Monday's victory over the Clippers. He kept playing and returned in the second quarter before leaving for good.
Koufos, meanwhile, is part of two postseasons at the same time. The Flash will host Dakota in a second-round playoff game Monday and the Jazz could opt to fly Koufos back for that game, especially if Okur does play Sunday.
C.J. Miles did some court work but did not take part in practice Friday with his dislocated left index finger. Matt Harpring was back after missing Thursday's practice with a nasal infection.
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No. 20 pick
The NBA announced Friday the order for its June 25 draft, with the Jazz owning the No. 20 pick in the first round and No. 50 in the second round. The Jazz had the No. 23 pick (Koufos) in 2008 and No. 25 pick (Morris Almond) in 2007.
Had they finished with one of the NBA's eight-best records, the Jazz would have had to give up their first-round pick to Philadelphia to complete the Kyle Korver / Gordan Giricek trade.
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Familiar face
During his years at Illinois, Williams often made trips to Chicago with Illini teammate Dee Brown . As a result, he came to know Shannon Brown , who played with Brown at Proviso East High in Maywood, Ill., before heading to Michigan State.
All three made it to the NBA, with Shannon Brown bouncing from Cleveland to Chicago and then Charlotte before coming to the Lakers in a midseason trade with Adam Morrison for Vladimir Radmanovic.
He and Williams will be reunited in these playoffs, with Brown trying to use his 6-foot-4 size to slow the Jazz's star point guard. Brown has supplanted Jordan Farmar as Derek Fisher 's backup and played 20 minutes in Tuesday's game.
"Sometimes it takes the right opportunity, the right fit," Williams said. "You'd figure he'd go there and he wouldn't get much playing time because he just came from Charlotte where he wasn't getting much. But he's playing good Basketball right now. He's being aggressive. He's in there to play defense and try to get stops."
rsiler@sltrib.com
