Last weekend, Gordan Giricek missed two games to be with his wife in Florida for the birth of their first child. Leaving the two behind to rejoin the Jazz wasn't easy, but Giricek did what he had to.
"(Stepping) onto the court, I try to forget those kinds of things," said Giricek, acquired from Orlando in a Feb. 19 trade for shooting guard DeShawn Stevenson. "I'm a professional, and I have to play hard."
That he has.
Ever since baby girl Lara arrived, proud papa has been on a tear.
In his first game back, last Monday vs. the Los Angeles Lakers, he scored 21. Two nights later, another 10 followed — and Giricek had a new title as the Jazz's starting shooting guard, taking over from rookie Sasha Pavlovic. Then he scored a career-high 33 at Phoenix on Friday, helping Utah to its third straight win.
"I think he's great for our system," Jazz forward Andrei Kirilenko said. "He is a great open shooter (and) moves well without the ball."
Giricek's take on the motion-oriented system?
"It's good for everybody," he said.
"Always somebody's open," Giricek added, "so it's fun to play for this team."
THE POINT: Jazz backup point guard Raul Lopez practiced Saturday with no ill effects from the rolled right ankle that prompted him to prematurely exit the fourth quarter of Utah's win at Phoenix.
Against the Suns, Jazz starting point guard Carlos Arroyo dished seven assists and — besides shooting just 2-of-8 from the field — showed no signs of the strained lower back that caused him to miss last Wednesday night's win over Golden State.
HE'S BACK: One day after flying home to Salt Lake from Phoenix to be with ailing wife Bobbye, coach Jerry Sloan was expected to rejoin the Jazz late Saturday night so he can work tonight's game at Denver.
"We understand, and fully support, that he (Sloan) has to handle his family first," Jazz guard Raja Bell said. "I don't think anyone here would have it any other way."
Bobbye Sloan is fighting pancreatic cancer but was said to be doing better following tests performed Friday.
Assistant Phil Johnson coached in Phoenix and is now 2-1 filling in for Sloan this season.
UTE CITY: Everyone should know point guard Andre Miller.
But don't forget Denver has another ex-University of Utah standout: Big man Michael Doleac is averaging 3.8 points and 2.4 rebounds in 12.9 minutes per game since the Nuggets claimed him Feb. 20 off waivers from Atlanta.
Doleac thought he was going to return to New York after the Knicks shipped him to the Hawks to help facilitate the multi-player deal that sent fellow ex-Ute Keith Van Horn to Milwaukee and brought forward Tim Thomas from the Bucks to the Big Apple.
He never made it through waivers, though, as Denver put in a claim.
The Jazz would have done the same, but they ran out of salary cap space after making two trade deadline-day deals that resulted in two starters — Giricek and power forward Tom Gugliotta — coming to Utah.
GIDDY GOOGS: Speaking of Gugliotta, he was excited about facing the Suns in his first return to Phoenix since the swap. The evidence: Six rebounds, all before halftime Friday.
Now, Gugliotta — once buried at the end of the Suns' bench — hopes to "feel more comfortable" with the Jazz.
"I think that will come as I get in better shape," he said. "For me, my biggest challenge is just feeling good at points of a game where you should be getting stronger — and not more tired."
E-mail: tbuckley@desnews.com