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The Utah Jazz have had to play the last couple weeks of the season without Andrei Kirilenko, which hurt them as they fell to the fifth seed in the West. Now, they might not have him for the playoffs either.
Ross Siler of the Salt Lake Tribune is reporting Kirilenko reaggravated a calf injury in practice yesterday while participating in a 2 on 2 game. The Jazz are saying Kirilenko will be out for two weeks as he explores treatment options, but Siler said he heard it would be closer to three weeks.
David Locke, the Jazz radio play-by-play man, said the injury is on the same calf, but in a different spot.
Either way, this is a big loss for the Jazz and jeopardizes their hopes of making a deep playoff run.
Andrei Kirilenko Will Likely Sit Out Game 2 Of Lakers-Jazz Series, Eyeing Game 3 Return
After missing the last month and a half after injuring (and then re-aggravating) his calf, Jazz forward Andrei Kirilenko appears to be ready to return to the hardcourt -- just don't expect it to be for Game 2 of Utah's series with the Lakers.
Per Ross Siler of the Salt Lake Tribune, Kirilenko returned to practice on Monday but is unlikely to play in Game 2 on Tuesday night. Utah's medical personnel, however, is optimistic that with the three additional days of rest he would get if he waits till Game 3, Kirilenko should be ready to return.
Kirilenko has enjoyed something of a renaissance this season, re-emerging as a lockdown defender who helped key Utah's jump near the top of the Western Conference standings. The Jazz stumbled down the stretch absent their lanky-armed Russian, falling to the 5-seed. If he's able to come back at anything close to full health, it'd be an enormous boon for a Jazz team that has historically struggled against Kobe's Lakers.
For more on the Jazz, check out SB Nation's SLC Dunk.
May 04 2:45p by Matt O'Brien - 0 comments