After 17 seasons with the Utah Jazz, longtime coach Jerry Sloan is still mulling retirement.  If Sloan decides to go, the coaching void will not be too prominent as owner Larry H. Miller has offered the job to longtime assistant coach Phil Johnson should Sloan decide to get out of coaching.

"I have always said publicly, and privately, that if Jerry chose to step down unexpectedly that the job would be Phil's ? if he wanted it," Miller said.

Johnson is saying much about his intentions?yet.

"I don't make a decision," Johnson said Wednesday, "until a decision needs to be made."

This could be the end of Jerry Sloan?s remarkable 17-season coaching tenure with the Utah Jazz.  

Sloan is under contract for about $5 million for one more year, however, he may opt out and retire.

"I can't make a decision based on emotions and everything," he said, adding he is working with no specific timetable.

"This is a very emotional business," Sloan added. "Up and down. You're up and down like a yo-yo, day to day. And then try to make something out of that? I don't think I'd be fair to anybody."

While Sloan remains unsure, the Jazz organization is positive they want him back.

"I don't have any idea ? but I want him back, because he's a great coach," Andrei Kirilenko said. "I can't imagine the Utah Jazz without Jerry Sloan."
     
"Jerry Sloan is great," Carlos Boozer added. "He works you hard because he knows hard works pays off. If you can't play for that, you can't play anywhere."

Baron Davis, Jason Richardson and Mike Dunleavy made sure that they finished the 2004-2005 season in the same way they have since February 27th when Davis made his debut in a Warriors uniform versus the Detroit Pistons and that is by winning and while winning, putting on a show.

The Warriors dominated the Jazz from the opening minutes, going up 22 at the half and ultimately winning 106-89.  

They capped their first half run with an alley-oop from Dunleavy to Davis, which ended with a reverse dunk.  

Davis has become everything for the Warriors.  When he was on the bench in the 2nd half, the Jazz went cut the Warriors' lead to single-digits, but as soon as he stepped back on the floor, the domination returned.

With less than 90 seconds in the game, Richardson got out on a breakaway and completed a 360 degree dunk.

Davis was the game's high scorer with 23 points and 9 assists.  Dunleavy shot 4-6 from beyond the arc, finishing with 18 points.

Raul Lopez is still on crutches after undergoing surgery on his left knee from an injury he suffered back on Feb. 23.  

The Spanish born point guard is confident he will be back in the lineup for the 2005-2006 season.  "I'm working again, getting healthy to being a basketball player again," Lopez said.

"I don't have any doubt in my mind right now," he said, "about being a good basketball player again."

Minnesota took care of what they needed to do on Friday, beating the Utah Jazz 100-84.  

If Minnesota wins out and Memphis loses out, then Minnesota will go to the playoffs, leaving the margin of error at zero.

"We've got three games left. We've got to win. Period," said Kevin Garnett, who led Minnesota with 21 points and nine rebounds. "I'm not going to worry and lose what's left of the hair I do have. Everybody is watching and we are definitely aware of the situation."

Garnett had 19 points and 9 rebounds, while Wally Szczerbiak pitched in 17.

Tim Duncan returned to the Spurs lineup on Wednesday in Utah, scoring 17 points and grabbing 7 rebounds, but they could not pull off the win, losing to the Jazz 93-91.

"I don't want to fall for fool's gold now and put him in a position where that ankle's too weak and have something happen to him," San Antonio coach Gregg Popovich said. "Sure we wanted to put him in, but I don't think that would have been wise."

"I was pushing for a little more time. Pop's the intelligent one and luckily he's the coach and I'm not," Duncan said. "I'm going to take my time and really get back into our rhythm and make sure that I'm not pushing it too hard and hurting myself."

Mehmet Okur scored 25 points and had 16 rebounds.

The father of Los Angeles Clippers coach Mike Dunleavy Sr. has become seriously ill, making it necessary for coach Dunleavy to be at his side.  

Dunleavy will be replaced on the Clippers sideline by top assistant Jim Eyen for the interim.

"Our thoughts and our prayers are with Mike and his family," Clippers spokesman Joe Safety said.

Utah Jazz? guard Kirk Snyder and Dallas Mavericks? guard/forward Jerry Stackhouse have each been suspended one game without pay for their involvement in a postgame altercation outside the locker rooms, it was announced today by Stu Jackson, NBA Senior Vice President Basketball Operations.

The incident occurred following the Mavericks 88-81 win over the Jazz on Saturday, April 9 at the American Airlines Center. Stackhouse will serve his suspension tonight as Dallas hosts Memphis. Snyder will serve his suspension tomorrow, Tuesday, April 12, when the Jazz visit the Los Angeles Clippers.

The New Orleans Hornets announced today that they have placed guard Speedy Claxton on the Injured List with a strained right groin and have activated forward/center Marciej Lampe.

Claxton, who also missed Wednesday's game vs. Denver, has averaged 6.8 points, 5.5 assists and 1.38 steals in 16 games with the Hornets this season.

Lampe had missed the last seven games after being placed on the Injured List Mar. 25 with lower back spasms.  He has averaged 2.2 points and 1.5 rebounds in 13 games with the Hornets this season.

In other Hornets injury news, Jamaal Magloire (back spasms) and Chris Andersen (sprained right ankle) will both miss tonight's game vs. Utah. Magloire missed 51 games (48 on the Injured List) with a fractured right ring finger while Andersen missed six games (five on the Injured List) with an infected right elbow earlier this season.

Chris Andersen, who suffered a sprained right ankle in the fourth quarter of last night's game vs. Denver, will be listed as questionable for Friday night's game vs. Utah at the New Orleans Arena.