Okur sits out practice, may not play on Sunday News Utah Jazz

With the clock winding down to Sunday's Game 1 of the Jazz's opening-round NBA playoff series against the Los Angeles Lakers, the status of starting center Mehmet Okur remains as fuzzy as numbers before the first snooze-bar tap. Okur, nursing a right-hamstring strain that the team initially deemed "mild," didn't practice again Friday. He also sat out the Jazz's regular-season ending loss to the Lakers on Tuesday night and didn't practice Thursday. "I have no idea," a downcast Okur said when asked prior to Friday's practice if he thought he'd be good to go in L.A. Jazz coach Jerry Sloan seemed equally unsure when asked about Okur's availability status.

"I can't answer that question," he said. "We'll have to be prepared to try to do the best we can, whether he's there or not." Partly as a result of that uncertainty, the Jazz on Friday recalled rookie big man Kosta Koufos from the NBA Developmental League's Utah Flash. Koufos played in the Flash's playoff-opening win over Bakersfield on Wednesday, scoring five points and pulling down five rebounds. He remains eligible to be reassigned back to the Flash prior to their semifinal-round matchup with Dakota on Monday in Orem, as does fellow big man Kyrylo Fesenko. "I'm just here to work hard and get better," said Koufos, who wasn't sure what the Jazz had planned for him. Meanwhile, starting small forward C.J. Miles didn't practice with the team again Friday because of swelling in the dislocated index finger on his left, shooting hand. Miles did work out on the floor on his own, though. He remains a "game-time decision" for Sunday, according to the Jazz, but indications are the likelihood of his playing is higher than that of Okur. Also Friday, veteran reserve forward Matt Harpring ? who opened in Miles' place against the Lakers on Tuesday ? returned to practice. He missed Thursday's session due to a nasal infection. HE SAID IT: Jazz point guard Deron Williams, on the Lakers: "We know they're gonna come out and try to blow us out early. That's what this team does ? they come out and try to pressure you on defense, take you out of your stuff early. Get you out of your game. We can't let them do that. We have to be aggressive. We have to stay right in there and battle with them, fight with them." MISC.: After ties among teams that finished with identical records were broken Friday, the NBA announced the Jazz will pick 20th in the June 25 draft ? just after Atlanta, and before New Orleans. ... It was initially thought Jazz backup power forward Paul Millsap would be eligible for the NBA's Sixth Man of the Year award, but as it turns out he wasn't because he started as many games (38) as he came off the bench for ? and voting rules actually stipulate that a candidate must play as a reserve in at least one more than he starts. Millsap remains a Most Improved Player candidate. ... Odds released by Bodog on Friday have the Jazz at 65/1 to win this year's NBA title, with the highest likelihood of their best-of-seven series with the Lakers being won in five games by L.A. Bodog's odds for the Lakers to win it all are 3/2, with Cleveland favored at 4/3. e-mail: tbuckley@desnews.com