CLEVELAND — Carlos Boozer watched from Salt Lake City, sapping some of the fun for Cleveland Cavaliers fans wanting an outlet for their anger over Boozer's controversial departure from here last season.
Nonetheless, the Jazz's first game in Cleveland since Boozer allegedly reneged on what the Cavaliers thought was a promise to stay with the team if they let him out of his contract for this season — he instead agreed to a six-year, $68 million offer from Utah that the Cavs could not match — featured its share of Boozer-bashing.
Signs were everywhere at Gund Arena as Cleveland beat Utah 92-73 Tuesday night, from the simply stated "Loozer" to downright ugly "Boozer = Trash."
Singing of the pre-game national anthem was rudely interrupted with loud shouts from a few fans, including "I hate Boozer."
The Cavs displayed Boozer's mug on its big-screen scoreboard frequently throughout the game, and every time it appeared a crowd of 19,794 booed passionately.
A running contest offered fans a chance to remain in Cleveland (with offers including a hotel stay, front-row seats for a Cavs game or the chance to "play" with LeBron James) or take the money (with supposed offers ranging from $500 to $2,000), and each time the fan played along and opted to stay in Cleveland.
Back in Utah, Boozer stayed home with a strained right foot that has kept him out since mid-February.
After seeking a second opinion from a doctor in Los Angeles late last week, Boozer must continue wearing a special walking boot for two more weeks.
He will then by re-evaluated by the doctor in L.A., Jazz trainer Gary Briggs said Tuesday. That means Boozer could be out three weeks or more, with just five weeks and 19 games remaining in the Jazz's season.
Tests showed Boozer has damage to a fibrous connection between an old bone fragment and a larger bone in the foot, Briggs added.
Boozer was not made available to Utah media members early this week, but he did speak by phone to a reporter from a Cleveland newspaper.
"I wish I could be there," Boozer told The Plain Dealer. "It was one of the games I was looking forward to. I know the fans were going to boo me and let me have it, but I wasn't scared.
"I know they're salty for what happened over the summer," he added, "but I know they appreciated me when I played there."
Boozer was ripped by multiple papers in Ohio for his decision not to attend the game, even if it was to watch in street clothes.
In a column titled, "No-show another blow to Boozer's reputation," Akron Beacon Journal columnist Tom Reed wrote that Boozer "doesn't believe he owes the franchise he spurned last summer an appearance as guest of honor in its dunk tank."
More Reed: "Boozer is punking out by not making the trip to Cleveland. He is hiding behind an excused absence. . . . Not exactly Davy Crockett at The Alamo, now is it?
"Given the controversial circumstances surrounding his free-agent departure and the debate it sparked, shouldn't Boozer at least show up? He had accompanied the Jazz on every other road trip until this one. . . . Why let it fester for another season? Why subject your teammates to the same?
"Deep down, maybe he regrets his decision. Boozer still could be making millions on a playoff-bound team, one which he doesn't have to carry on a nightly basis.
"You get paid $68 million to answer your critics. You get paid $68 million to take your share of abuse. You get paid $68 million to make yourself visible, to show your face even in embarrassingly uncomfortable scenarios like this one. That's what leaders do. They don't sit home while exposing teammates to two hours of ridicule."
The Plain Dealer, too, took a jab: "Carlos Boozer will disappoint Cavaliers fans once again. . . . Eight months (after leaving), the venom and disdain Cavs fans were ready to unleash will have to wait."
Back in Utah, again, Jazz owner Larry H. Miller has been defending the $68 million power forward.
Earlier this season, Miller questioned Boozer's effort and passion — leading to a private meeting in which Boozer suggested he did not appreciate being criticized in public.
On Monday, though, the Jazz owner sounded like he was firmly in the corner of the Jazz's leading scorer and rebounder.
"I'll tell you, I'm kind of embarrassed at myself," Miller told ESPN.com. "And the reason is that I spent too much time — which is uncharacteristic of me — listening to and being influenced by the local media. I'm not a media basher, so don't get the wrong idea, but all the call-in shows and newspaper articles were talking about Carlos, relative to his expectations and his pay plan and all that stuff.
"It wasn't so much that I bought into it — it's that I appeared to buy into it and articulated that publicly. . . . I made a mistake doing that, and I apologized to Carlos, because it really did hurt his feelings, and I don't blame him."
E-mail: tbuckley@desnews.com