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Posted: 12:17 PM- Question:

I live in Idaho and am a little confused why Paul Millsap started only once when Memo Okur was injured. In that game, he got 20 points and nine rebounds? What more can Millsap do? Can you explain why Millsap is not starting? Or at least why he didn't start instead of Collins when Memo was injured?

-- Wendell

Answer:

Millsap did not start when Okur was sidelined with a shoulder injury for a couple of reasons.

Generally, coach Jerry Sloan rarely shuffles two or three players around when a starter is hurt. He believes in taking the injured player's backup and moving him into the starting lineup so just one guy -- not two or three -- must adjust to a temporary role. This keeps the disruption of his regular rotation to a minimum. It also prevents the backup player from losing confidence in himself and becoming confused about his role on the team. He knows with certainty that if the starter gets hurt, he will replace him.

Personally, I think that is fairly decent psychology.

When Okur got hurt, Sloan did what he usually does when a starter is sidelined. He started backup center Collins and kept backup forward Millsap in his most comfortable role -- coming off the bench behind Carlos Boozer or Andrei Kirilenko. Obviously, Millsap played more minutes than normal and, as you pointed out, his production was outstanding. But moving Millsap into the starting lineup would have shortened Sloan's bench considerably because he provides much more second-unit versatility that Collins.

Make sense?

In this specific situation, there is another reason Millsap didn't start. The then-injured Okur is a seven-footer. Collins is 6-foot-11. Millsap is listed as 6-foot-6. By starting Collins, Sloan kept the Jazz big enough to compete against most opposing centers. Even though Millsap plays bigger than his size, he would be physically overmatched if he had to guard someone like Shaquille O'Neal or Andrew Bynum for long stretches. If Millsap started for Okur, Boozer would almost certainly have to guard the opponent's biggest, most physical frontcourt player. That could lead to foul trouble and lack of production on offense, which the Jazz can't ever afford.