BOISE — Three Olympians got a free pass from the first session of two-a-days when the Jazz opened training camp Tuesday at Boise State University.
That's expected to be the case again today, and for the conclusion of two-a-days Thursday at Taco Bell Arena here.
It's all because starters Deron Williams, Carlos Boozer and Andrei Kirilenko had a heavy dose of international play and practice during the summer.
"We want to help them be ready to play when the season starts," Sloan said. "You don't want to overdo it (now).
"They won't miss much, because they pretty much know what we're doing," he added. "We're not gonna be set back because (of that)."
It's a much-appreciated philosophy.
"My body was feeling real bad when we got back from Beijing," said Williams, who along with Boozer played on USA Basketball's gold medal-winning entry at the Summer Games in China.
"Two years playing pretty much non-stop, your knees start getting a little heavy," Williams said. "I gained a little weight over there, because of inactivity, eating late and eating bad."
All of which briefly was cause for concern.
"I was almost dreading the season," Williams said. "But (not) now, after a couple weeks of getting back in my workout routine, eating right, losing a couple pounds."
Williams suggested going only once a day while teammates go twice should further ease the transition.
"I'm in great shape now as it is. I know the offense," he said. "I'd be ready to go if we didn't practice at all. Hint, hint."
Williams was kidding.
Kirilenko and Boozer, though, similarly embrace the one-a-day approach.
"I don't have a problem with that," said Kirilenko, who practiced twice daily for about a month before leading his native Russia in Beijing.
"We've been playing a lot in the summertime," Boozer added, "and it's gonna help us in the long run."
Even with that established, Jazz management insists it stills considers camp and preseason play critical.
"The emphasis is to get ready for the season ... because winning those couple of games early is just as important as winning those couple of games late," general manager Kevin O'Connor said.
OLYMPIC LEFTOVERS: Boozer suggested the best food he ate in China was the roasted duck at a place called Lan.
"First time I ever had duck," he said. "I don't go duck hunting, so ... "
Pickings beyond that, though, included "some stuff you're just not used to."
One road Boozer would not go down was eating dog, which he was told some in China truly do.
"I guess you could make the same argument for cows and pigs," he said. "I just don't have them as pets."
Williams, meanwhile, rose at 5 on his first morning back from Beijing. No one else at home was awake.
"I couldn't go back to sleep," he said, "so I played golf."
CREDIT HORNACEK: Sloan on Tuesday offered a share of kudos for Kirilenko's career-best 50.6 field-goal percentage last season to special assistant Jeff Hornacek, who traveled to Boise again this week so he can aid the Russian's shooting touch.
"(Hornacek) deserves a lot of credit," Sloan said. "Anytime you can get a guy to do better ... that's a plus for him."
Hornacek pursued full-time coaching vacancies in Phoenix and Chicago last summer. But neither materialized, and both Hornacek and Sloan confirmed Tuesday that the Jazz's Phoenix-based shooting coach will work with the franchise again this season as a part-time assistant.
DOWNRIGHT DEFENSIVE: Williams spilled the beans on Sloan's message to the team prior to Tuesday's camp opening.
"Coach kind of challenged us to be able to step up defensively," he said. "He talked about the Boston Celtics, and how they came together as a team — especially defensively. That's where they won a championship, and we want to have those same aspirations, those same goals."
FOOTBALL FANS: Boise State's football team plays host tonight to Louisiana Tech, and several Jazz players — including Louisiana Tech product Paul Millsap — plan to walk across the parking lot from Taco Bell Arena to watch the ESPN-televised game from a private suite.
"We're gonna support my alma mater," Millsap said.
The Jazz moved up the would-be start time of their practices today so team members can take in least some of the game first-hand.
MEDIA MATTERS: ESPN The Magazine's Ric Bucher was here Tuesday — thought to be the first time in at least 10 years that a media member not based in Utah was present on the opening day of Jazz training camp.
E-mail: tbuckley@desnews.com