After six weeks playing in Detroit, Carlos Arroyo is beginning to earn the praise of the Detroit Staff, most importantly, Joe Dumars.

''He's the most creative guy we have on the team - instantly,'' said Dumars, the Pistons' president of basketball operations, after watching Arroyo score 13 points in 18 minutes in Detroit's 97-88 victory over the New York Knicks last Tuesday. ''This team needed another general on the floor, and he's a general when he's on the floor. I just think he's a perfect fit, and I am so happy to have him here.''

His numbers are down, however Arroyo is making the most of his limited playing time, giving the Pistons solid contributions night in and night out.  

''He's a natural point guard, simple as that,'' said Pistons assistant Gar Heard. ''He looks to make plays before he looks to shoot the ball.''

After an eight game winning streak, the Rockets were handed their third straight loss.

The Rockets lost to the Utah Jazz 99-92, snapping Utah?s four game losing streak. Utah was led by Matt Harpring?s 28 points. Raja Bell also scored 21 of his own.

The game was tied at halftime and at the end of the third quarter, but a 30 point effort in the game?s last period was too much for Houston to overcome. Harpring and and Bell were accountable for more than half of Utah?s offensive production in this period, Harpring scoring 10 and Bell with 7.

Despite valiant efforts by the Rockets starters, including newly acquired Mike James, the Houston bench struggled all night. The entire bench was outscored by one player off of the Jazz bench ? Mehmet Okur. Okur totaled 14 points and 9 rebounds in 30 minutes.

University of Utah center Andrew Bogut will likely enter the draft following the NCAA Tournament and the Aussie has told the Salt Lake Tribune that if he was able to choose, he'd play for the Jazz.

"I just want to fulfill a dream, and my first choice would be to stay here in Utah and play for the Jazz in the NBA."

"It has been a dream of mine," he said, "and I hope basketball fans in Australia realize this is an opportunity of a lifetime."

Antoine Walker had 24 points and 10 rebounds to help the Celtics beat the Utah Jazz 109-102.

``It's great to be back,'' Walker said. ``I am excited about the opportunity to be back and make this work."

``'Toine was great,'' Doc Rivers said. ``You know what's nice with 'Toine is we had somewhere to go in the post.''

Andrei Kirilenko scored a season-high 29 points and Matt Harpring added 18 for the Jazz, who have lost six of their last seven games.

A left knee injury could end the season of Raul Lopez, starting point guard for the Utah Jazz.

An irritation in his left knee forced Lopez to the bench during a loss last week to the Lakers. It became worse over the All-Star break.

Lopez is getting a second opinion and was scheduled to undergo an MRI, Jazz spokesman Kim Turner said Wednesday.

"This is his fourth surgery, so we have to see exactly what we're talking about," said Kevin O'Connor, the Jazz's senior vice president of basketball operations. "I'm afraid that sooner or later, he has to say, I'm spending 75 percent of my career on rehab.'''

Tuesday came and went with no official announcement of a Carlos Boozer trade to the Lakers, likely causing nervousness for Jack Haley, but this in no way means that the deal is dead.

The Lakers need to reshape their roster and the Jazz management do not seem to like Boozer, making this relationship very possible.

The only thing that will stop these rumors are an official announcement or February 24th.

Jazz Director of Basketball Operations Kevin O'Connor was interviewed by the Salt Lake Tribune regarding the recent trade rumors surrounding his club.

"Lots of discussion, as always," O'Connor said. "But we did not have anything that I would consider substantive.  Things can happen quickly as the deadline gets closer," O'Connor said. "What are our chances of making a trade now? I can't tell you that - I really don't know."

Other than the rumored Carlos Boozer deal, the Jazz appear to desire more stability at the point guard position.

Jack Haley was known more for towel waving and cheering than dunks or rebounds during his NBA career. Now a member of Fox Sports Net, Haley has either scooped everyone on a major NBA trade (trumping the likes of Ford, Stein and Aldridge) or he's the unfortunate victim of bad information.

Haley is reporting the Lakers will trade Vlade Divac, Caron Butler and Devean George to the Utah Jazz in exchange for big man Carlos Boozer, pending league approval. However since Fox Sports posted the article early Monday afternoon there has been no other confirmations in other major media outlets. Jazz owner Larry Miller and VP Kevin O'Conner have dismissed the reports.

Alternate scenarios are appearing in other main stream media sources with the Chicago Tribune's Sam Smith writing that the Jazz may receive Butler, Luke Walton and Slava Medvedenko for Boozer, though other players would have to be involved to match salaries.

The NBA's trade deadline is Thursday.

Two days after returning to action in a loss versus Cleveland, Kobe Bryant and the Lakers returned home and hit their stride again, defeating the Jazz 102-95.

Bryant scored 40 points on 12-19 shooting.

``I'm going to go out there and play hard, the time that I'm out there, whatever time it is,'' said Bryant, who expects to play about 10 minutes for the Western Conference All-Stars.

The Jazz were without their two best players, Andrei Kirilenko and Carlos Boozer.

Amare Stoudemire was unstoppable in the Suns 136-128 victory over the Utah Jazz Monday night, however the real story was the injuries suffered by the Jazz two top players, Carlos Boozer and Andrei Kirilenko.

Kirilenko landed awkwardly on Nash's foot and limped to the locker room. Boozer suffered a foot injury in the final minute of the half, which ended with the Jazz ahead, 62-58.  Neither player returned to the game and the seriousness of the their injuries it is not known at this time.