Skirting the bug

Jerry Sloan typically refrains from making preseason predictions.
When he does wander toward that territory, the Jazz head coach’s comments usually come with a qualifier: A lot depends on injuries.
Some teams avoid them — at least ones that hurt most. Other teams are killed by them. Still more manage to trudge on despite them.
For the Jazz, they’re starting to catch up.
Andrei Kirilenko’s and Mehmet Okur’s backs. Francisco Elson’s toenail. Even C.J. Miles’ fight with the flu.
For now, though — Okur’s MRI results pending — nothing seems too major.
Sure, Okur’s return from Achilles surgery from last postseason has been hampered by an ankle sprain and now the sore back
Sure, others have nagging aches and pains with which they must deal. That always happens, every NBA season, especially around this time of year.
But if the Jazz can avoid any biggies — an Okur-like rupture, a Carlos Boozer-like ailment of vague length — they’ll be that much better off.
And maybe Sloan, in hindsight, will later know if his club indeed was capable of what he suspected — without any major medical matters getting in its way.

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