NOTES

Utah Jazz officials had considered everything from moving the start time of Saturday’s game against the Lakers from 7 p.m. to 8:30--in hopes it would allow fans around Salt Lake City to watch the Utah-North Carolina game on TV and then attend the NBA game--to simply broadcasting the college game on the overheard scoreboard at the Delta Center. The Lakers would have turned down the request for a later tipoff because they were concerned about still having to play tonight at home, and the Jazz ultimately decided against the distraction the video screen idea may have created.

Instead, results from San Antonio were regularly updated on a different message board. The end of the third quarter in Salt Lake City coincided with the end of the second half in the Alamodome, so clusters of cheers could be heard from various parts of the Delta Center as the Utes neared victory, no matter what live action was taking place.

The end of the college game came, conveniently, during the break before the start of the fourth quarter of the pro contest. The score was announced and the capacity crowd erupted.

Even Laker Coach Del Harris, his team down by 13 points, briefly applauded. Utah’s Rick Majerus is his closest friend in the business.