" He didn't play in Friday night's win at New Orleans.

But starting center Mehmet Okur — much like starting small forward Andrei Kirilenko, who also sat out Friday — wants to play in one or both of the Jazz's two final regular season games next week, Tuesday night at Golden State and Wednesday night at home against Phoenix.

"I'm glad we have three days (off) after (Friday's) game," Okur said, "and we're going to keep doing what we've been doing, treatment, and hopefully I'll be OK next game."

Okur exited Wednesday night's loss at Houston in the third quarter due to tendinitis in his left Achilles. He shot free throws and walked through the Jazz's shootaround Friday morning, but that's about it.

Okur said the Achilles felt "better" Friday, but added two caveats: "Without running, without jumping."

Backup center Kyrylo Fesenko, who missed Utah's previous two games with a sore throat, did dress Friday and played three scoreless minutes.

But Jazz coach Jerry Sloan instead opted to start backup power forward Paul Millsap alongside power forward Carlos Boozer on Friday, mostly because Fesenko hadn't "been on the floor for five or six days.""