Jazz take time out to mourn News Sacramento kings

For two days in Salt Lake City, Basketball will take a back seat. That may not be an easy reality with which to deal for a franchise fighting for a place in the NBA's Western Conference playoffs, yet it is one the Jazz know they must embrace in order to properly recognize the passing of longtime team owner Larry H. Miller. "This will be the most important thing that we do: You know, honor Larry and the Miller family," power forward Carlos Boozer said after the Jazz beat Minnesota on Wednesday night and notched their sixth consecutive victory.

Miller died last Friday afternoon, at the age of 64, due to complications from type 2 diabetes. The Jazz have played with that burden hanging overhead since, winning two games at home, including one over New Orleans the night after Miller's death, and Wednesday's on the road. On Saturday night, after taking Thursday off from the practice and holding a shootaround this morning instead of Saturday morning as would typically be the case, they will play host to Sacramento at EnergySolutions Arena. Before they face the Kings, though, Miller will be mourned tonight and Saturday afternoon at the arena he both owned and oversaw being built. A public viewing is scheduled from 4 this afternoon until 8 tonight in the VIP room at EnergySolutions. Attendees should enter through the arena's main entrance on the plaza level, and, according to the team, they are asked to refrain from taking photos or using recording devices. Also open-to-the-public funeral services are scheduled for noon Saturday, at EnergySolutions as well. Still and video cameras are banned then as well. Most, if not all, Jazz players are expected to attend the funeral. So are retired Jazz stars Karl Malone and John Stockton, among others, and NBA commissioner David Stern. "It's been tough to deal with that," point guard Deron Williams said of Miller's passing, "and hopefully we get some closure this weekend at his funeral." Only afterward do the Jazz feel that can properly turn to handling the Kings. "That's going to be a tough game for us ? you know, back home on Saturday after the funeral," Williams said. "So, that's part of life. We've got to try to deal with that, and still stay focused on our job." When they do deal with their mourning, shooting guard Ronnie Brewer will think back to a visit the team paid to Miller in January, shortly after he had both of his legs amputated below the knee. "It has been tough," Brewer said. "I felt like when we visited him in the hospital, that was a motivating factor for us. And now I think we're carrying that for the rest of the season. We're playing for him, and his courage, and how passionate he was about the team. "He told us he wanted us to leave it on the court," Brewer added, "and from the top to the bottom, that's what everybody is trying to do ? is leave it on the court, and respect him." E-MAIL: tbuckley@desnews.com