Paul Silas phoned Boozer on Wednesday to personally apologize for calling the Jazz forward a vulgarity while speaking to reporters after the Cavs' practice on Monday. Silas also issued a public apology for the remark.

"It was totally inappropriate. It shouldn't have happened," Silas said in Milwaukee, where the Cavs played the Bucks.

Silas believed his informal conversation was off the record, but an electronic broadcaster recorded it and forwarded the tape to a nationally syndicated radio talk-show host, who aired it several times Wednesday.

The Cavs, who gently spoofed Boozer's departure from Cleveland as a free-agent during the teams' game Tuesday night, also apologized for Silas' slur.

"I've spoken to Paul about this and I'm confident that he understands that it was completely inappropriate for him to speak in the terms that he did. He greatly regrets it," Cleveland general manager Jim Paxson said in a statement released by the team.

Pulling for Montana

Jazz players all have their own alma-mater loyalties in the NCAA Tournament, but the Jazz organization may have a rooting interest in one entrant: the 16th-seeded Montana Grizzlies.

Former Jazz forward Larry Krystkowiak is in his first year at the school where he played as a collegian, and will lead the Grizzlies against No. 1 seed Washington today.

"We're really happy for him," Jazz coach Jerry Sloan said of his staff, who coached (or in Ty Corbin's case, played alongside) Krystkowiak in 1992-93. "He was one of those guys who had to figure out what's going on to be successful. He wasn't going to jump over anybody, but he was a smart player."

Krystkowiak, who averaged 7.2 points in his lone season in Utah, also coached Jazz guard Randy Livingston last season in the CBA. "He's a great coach, definitely a player's coach," said Livingston, who called Krystkowiak earlier this week to wish him luck. "He's a good man. I wish I could go check his team out."

Briefly

Kirk Snyder broke an 0-for-10 shooting slump with a layup late in the game. . . . Indiana has won five straight against the Jazz, its longest streak in franchise history.

pmiller@sltrib.com