Utah Jazz coach Jerry Sloan was ejected in the third quarter Saturday night against Philadelphia after getting two technical fouls in a 30-second span.

Sloan felt the officials were favoring 76ers guard Allen Iverson and let them know it with an earful each time they passed the Jazz bench.

He got the first technical with 7:38 left in the third quarter after Utah's Keith McLeod was called for his fourth foul. Sloan stomped his foot and got a quick technical from official Derrick Stafford.

Sloan hadn't had much time to cool off just 30 seconds later when Deron Williams, who had replaced McLeod, received his fourth foul -- also while guarding Iverson.

Matt Harpring might have gone to bed a little angry Monday night, but he woke up Tuesday with a calmer perspective: His coach was just doing what Harpring had asked.

The Jazz forward was enraged when Jerry Sloan sent Kris Humphries in for him just 33 seconds into overtime of Utah's 105-102 victory over Memphis on Monday, upset that Sloan would call a premature halt to one of the most effective outings Harpring has had all season. Harpring snapped at the coach as he walked to the bench, and Sloan shot right back at him: "I can't play you anymore."

Well, it might have been a little more colorful than that.

The reason for the benching was spelled out in writing: Harpring's knee surgeon had sent Sloan a letter outlining his recommendations for Harpring's activity while he continues to recover from April surgery. Limit his playing time to 30 minutes a game, the letter specified, and no back-to-back games.

Harpring had played a key role in the Jazz's amazing rally from 18 points down against Memphis, making five of his seven shots in the second half. But he had played 32 minutes - more than he was supposed to. Sloan finally, reluctantly, subbed out one of his most effective offensive weapons, then was shocked when Harpring got mad.

"I'm a competitor. I wanted to play," Harpring said of his challenge to Sloan. "Once I slept on it, I realized it's not his fault. I'm not mad at him, I'm not mad at anyone. It was just tough to sit there."

Sloan's reply: He thinks he had the tough part?

"I just go on what I'm told. Everybody wants to keep playing when they're going good, but it's his people who made the decision, not me," Sloan said. "I don't ever want to screw a guy's career up."

Carlos Boozer's hamstring feels good, his recovery is almost complete, and the Jazz's power forward is all set to play basketball again on . . .

Whoops. Boozer's not going to make that mistake again. After scrubbing more re-launches than NASA over the past 10 months, Boozer refuses to specify a date for his first NBA appearance since Feb. 14.

"I'm not going to say when, because that hasn't worked out very good for me," said Boozer, who missed three or four targets dates last spring when his sore foot wouldn't heal, then twice aggravated his hamstring injury this fall just when he believed he was completely recovered. "But hopefully soon."

That's better than nothing for a franchise that tonight will play its 59th consecutive game without its highest-paid player. In fact, Boozer's optimism and enthusiasm at the Jazz's practice Sunday night were a stark contrast to the painfully pessimistic team that appeared beaten down by a long and ugly road trip last week.

"It's good to be back around the guys, it's good to have their energy," said Boozer, who originally strained the hamstring Oct. 8. He is not yet ready to participate in a practice, instead limiting himself to drills and strength exercises. But the difference between his strained left hamstring today, after a month working with specialists in Los Angeles, and its condition when he tried to work out on Oct. 31 and Nov. 14, when he reinjured it, is noticeable, he said.

It's been hard work, Boozer said, though he realizes that many Utah fans have lost faith in his sincerity about returning to the Jazz. "All they see is me sitting behind the bench in a suit. They don't see me working out, don't see me lifting weights, don't see me running, don't see me doing drills. But it comes with the territory," Boozer said.

And if he image has taken a beating during his absence? "I don't worry about that. I've been through much worse already," he said, an apparent reference to the avalanche of criticism he received for leaving Cleveland as a free agent in 2004. As for widespread rumors he and his wife don't like Salt Lake, Boozer said, "I'm fine here."

The latest Andrei Kirilenko injury is not as serious as once thought and that is great news for a Utah Jazz team that has dealt with many injuries from their athletic Russian-born forward.

Kirilenko injured his back late in the first half a Dec. 17 win at Milwaukee, then missed games at Cleveland on Tuesday, Boston on Wednesday and New York on Friday.

"We're positive about the fact this is not a long-term deal," Jazz senior vice president Kevin O'Connor said.

Utah Jazz small forward Andrei Kirilenko has left the team's road trip because of back spasms, the club said Wednesday.

He will be evaluated by back specialists on Thursday and Friday, and the results are expected Friday afternoon or Monday.

Kirilenko, who missed seven games last month with a sprained right ankle, had to leave Saturday's game in Milwaukee after just 17 minutes with the back problem, and he sat out Tuesday night's game at Cleveland.

The Jazz lost 101-89 at Boston Wednesday night and end their road trip Friday at New York.

Utah Jazz forward Andrei Kirilenko sat out Tuesday night's game against the Cleveland Cavaliers because of back spasms.

Kirilenko, who missed seven games last month with a sprained right ankle, had to leave Saturday's game in Milwaukee after just 17 minutes with the same back problem. In his previous four games, he averaged 17.7 points, 12 rebounds, 5.4 assists and 4.3 blocks.

Kirilenko is likely to remain with the Jazz for the final two games of their road trip to Boston and New York.

Utah Jazz rookies Deron Williams and Robert Whaley were fined by the team and Whaley suspended for one game after being cited for lying to police after a bar fight.

Whaley will serve the suspension when he has recovered from a cut that needed six stitches on his right hand he received during the fight. Whaley initially told the team he cut his hand in an accident when his 2-year-old son took a sharp knife from the kitchen.

Whaley apologized last week, admitting he had made up the toddler story because he didn't want to get in trouble. Whaley received the additional punishment for lying to team officials, who were skeptical of the story from the start.

The amount of the fines was not released Monday.

Andrei Kirilenko cannot stay healthy.

He left Saturday night's game in the second the second quarter with a back injury and did not return to the game.

Two Utah Jazz rookies have been cited for giving false names to police officers investigating a Park City bar fight for which they otherwise would not have faced any charges.

Robert Whaley faces additional trouble for lying to the team. Whaley and teammate Deron Williams were cited Wednesday with one count each of providing false information to a peace officer, police Lt. Rick Ryan said.

Whaley acknowledged Wednesday that he had cut his hand on a glass in Park City, but said it wasn't during a fight police say a few Denver Nuggets fans started when they recognized the Utah players.

Whaley read a brief statement before Utah's game against Portland in Salt Lake City, apologizing for making up a story earlier in the week about cutting his hand while taking a sharp kitchen knife away from his 2-year-old son.

"I made an error in judgment hoping to avoid any negative consequences concerning my position with the Utah Jazz. I should have told the truth," Whaley said.

Utah Jazz center Greg Ostertag headed to Dallas on Tuesday to get a second medical opinion on his right knee, which has become increasingly bothersome. Ostertag is expected back on Wednesday, but will not dress for the Jazz's game with the Portland Trail Blazers.

After an MRI showed no damage to the ligaments in his knee, Ostertag started Monday's 92-78 victory over the Pistons, but left after just two minutes because of the soreness.

The Jazz believe Ostertag's recent pain is little more than the effects of 10 NBA seasons, and will have to be managed day by day, but there is some concern that trying to play with the soreness is making the problem worse.

"The pain he had last night actually was different from the pain he had 'Saturday"," said Jazz trainer Gary Briggs. "That could be the result of having to run a little different because of how it feels."

Jazz coach Jerry Sloan said Ostertag's absence, even if it's a short one, makes life more difficult for his team, which is short on interior defenders. "You might say you'd like to get help, but what could you get?" Sloan said, pointing out the leaguewide shortage of quality centers. "And we've got 15 guys already. ... Jarron 'Collins" has been playing very well lately, so we would just hope that will continue until Greg can play."