(Best E Casino) - It's no secret the Utah Jazz have been banged up much of the 2008-09 season, and the most notable player on the infirmary list is forward Carlos Boozer.

Boozer has led the Jazz in scoring each of the last two seasons and was at it again with a 20.5 ppg clip before going down with a quadriceps and knee injury suffered in November. He was also pulling 11.7 rebounds per contest and underwent successful arthroscopic surgery on his left knee on January 9. Loose pieces of cartilage in the knee area were removed and Boozer is expected to undergo a four-week rehabilitation program before the team contemplates a return. If he's healthy enough the team must inject him back in the lineup.

The former Duke star last played in a 105-94 victory versus Milwaukee and posted 20 points and 11 boards. Utah is 15-11 without Boozer, but is currently riding a four-game winning streak thanks to a perfect four-game homestand and has ripped off six straight victories in Salt Lake City.

Now the Boozer-less Jazz will kick off a three-game road trip Wednesday against Oklahoma City, Memphis and Dallas. They are just 7-11 away from home in 2008-09, as opposed to their 16-4 mark at EnergySolutions Arena. Boozer's replacement Paul Millsap had a 19-game double-double streak recently stopped but has still been a bright spot under head coach Jerry Sloan. He did not play in the win versus Indiana because of a bruised right knee and is probable for tonight's game at the Thunder.

Guard Deron Williams, who leads the Jazz with 10.0 assists per game, battled with the injury bug early on this season. He has played the last 23 games and owns 13 double-doubles over that stretch. Williams is probable against Oklahoma City with a bruised foot.

Utah (23-15) is 2 1/2 games behind Denver for the top spot in the Northwest Division standings.

BLAZERS STARTING TO PLAY BETTER ON ROAD

Portland Trail Blazers head coach Nate McMillan has been having problems getting his team motivated on the road this season. But lately the young Blazers are becoming more aware of how important it is to take care of business in foreign territory.

The Blazers own a decent 5-4 record over the last nine road tests and opened a four-game swing with a 109-95 victory at Chicago on Monday at the United Center. Portland, which is nine games above .500 for the first time this season at 23-14, has won nine of its last 16 road games and is 9-10 away from the Rose Garden this season. The Blazers are 14-4 at home.

Portland's 9-10 road start is the best since the 2002-03 campaign when it won 11 of its first 19 away games. The Trail Blazers did not reach nine road wins last year until February 27. They improved to 7-1 on the road against Eastern Conference opponents after beating Chicago and will also visit Philadelphia, New Jersey and Charlotte on the current east coast swing.

Blazers center Greg Oden had 17 points and 13 rebounds in the Windy City for his team-leading 11th double-double of the season. Oden has led the Trail Blazers in rebounding a team-high tying 16 times in just 31 games.

The Blazers are 15-3 when reaching the century mark this season. Portland, which won 24-of-30 games last season when it scored 100-plus points, is currently two games behind Denver in the Northwest standings.

THUNDER STILL THE WORST IN NBA

I wonder what the NBA fans in Seattle are up to right now. Hopefully some of the die-hards are not investing their time in the expansion Oklahoma City Thunder because that would be a total waste.

Oklahoma City, which is the new home of the Sonics for those who have been living in hibernation, sports a putrid 6-33 record and a repugnant .154 winning percentage this season. The Thunder will try to get a winning streak of some sort going Wednesday when they open a three-game homestand versus Utah, Detroit and Miami. It will be tough to garner some wins after producing just a 2-17 away mark this season.

On a positive note, the Thunder are 2-3 over their last five games and second- year stud Kevin Durant still leads the team in most categories. Durant leads Oklahoma City in scoring (23.8 ppg), rebounds (6.2 rpg), field-goal percentage (46.7), free throw shooting (85.3), three-point field goals (41.9) and blocks (0.8). Durant is averaging 25.0 points over his last six games.

The Thunder have been rumored to be interested in making a trade to bolster their frontcourt since head coach Scott Brooks desperately needs an inside presence. Center/forward Nick Collison has some talent in the paint and has played the last four games (3 straight starts) since missing six of seven with a broken bone in his left thumb.

Oklahoma City is 20 games off the lead in the Northwest Division.

NO 'MELO, NO PROBLEM FOR NUGGETS

In order for the Denver Nuggets to remain on top in the Northwest standings and earn a postseason spot in the competitive West, they need a fast return from superstar Carmelo Anthony.

Anthony has been sideline the previous three games with a fractured right hand and is expected to miss the next three to four weeks of action. Denver is 2-1 without the young talent and has won eight of its last 10 games to maintain a two-game edge over rival Portland in the division.

The Nuggets (26-13) are 4-1 on a seven-game homestand and improved to 15-5 in the Rocky Mountains following Tuesday's nail-biting 99-97 victory over the Dallas Mavericks from the Pepsi Center. Point guard Chauncey Billups has stepped up in those three games by scoring 21 points, 30 and 23 points, respectively, over the last three games Anthony has missed.

Billups has led the Nuggets to a 13-2 record when he registers 20 or more points in a game. Denver will also host Phoenix and Orlando on the current homestand. Since arriving back with his hometown team, Billups has led the Nuggets to a 25-10 record while posting averages of 18.5 points, 6.8 assists and 2.6 rebounds per game.

'WOLVES TRY TO REGROUP ON UPCOMING TREK

The Minnesota Timberwolves tried to keep their season-high five-game winning streak intact, but the Miami Heat escaped the Target Center with a 99-96 victory on Tuesday.

Randy Foye led the 'Wolves with 29 points and eight assists, while Al Jefferson had nine points and 10 rebounds. Jefferson leads the team in points (22.2), rebounds (10.4) and blocks (1.7) this season, and needed seven stitches to close a gash above his right eye at halftime after he was inadvertently elbowed. Jefferson was able to return to the game.

Foye has been a scoring machine lately, having posted 21 or more points in four of the last five games. He has scored in double digits over the past 12 games for Minnesota (11-26), which will open a three-game road trip Friday at Phoenix followed by games against the Clippers and Jazz.

The Timberwolves are 14 games off the pace in the Northwest and 7-11 since interim head coach Kevin McHale took over on the sidelines.