If the Jazz were looking for Mehmet Okur to be their savior Saturday night after the center's return from a hamstring injury, they were sorely mistaken.
Okur started Game 4 after missing the first three playoff games of 2009, but contributed little in the 108-94 loss to the Los Angeles Lakers. Okur, who played in every regular-season game, did not score in 13 minutes and was 0-for-3 from the field. He did get two assists and one rebound.
Okur missed his first shot, an open three-pointer, then didn't look to shoot much after that.
Paul Milsap replaced Okur at the 6:41 mark of the first quarter and immediately dunked in a missed shot.
quot;That was the plan,quot; Okur said. quot;I was going to play the first five or six minutes of the quarter. I was going to check myself and see how I felt.quot;
Okur made another appearance in the second quarter but missed an awkward-looking running one-hander from 15 feet, then passed up an open 10-footer a few possessions later.
Asked whether his leg was bothering him during the game, he said, quot;That's why I was on the bike. I wanted to stay warm, relaxed and warm.quot;
He started the second half, too, but Sloan went to his bench again when it was obvious Okur was not going to give him much.
Even when the Jazz desperately needed three-pointers to get back in it in the fourth quarter, Okur remained on the bench. By the middle of the fourth, it was obvious he was done for the night.
And what about Game 5 on Monday in Los Angeles?
Too early to tell, Okur said.
quot;It's not really sore because I didn't play a lot of minutes,quot; he said. quot;It's probably going to be a lot more sore tomorrow morning.quot;
drew@sltrib.com A quiet return for Memo
Mehmet Okur's stat line in Game 4:
