Fisher said the 29-15 Jazz were "caught off guard" in their first game this season with Boozer, who has posted 33 double-doubles while averaging 22.6 points and 12.0 rebounds, largely unavailable.

"You're used to doing things a certain way, you're used to executing offensively certain sets and things we like to run that are our most efficient ... on the offensive end," Fisher said. "Carlos shoots at a 55-plus percent clip (actually 57 percent). When he gets the ball, we're gonna get at least a point out of that possession.

"Offensively," Fisher added, "we never adjusted to not having that guy there in the middle that does so many things for us."

Jazz starting point Deron Williams was quick to point out Utah was off its game and down by six even before Boozer was hurt, but suggested he was missed nonetheless.

"He's definitely a big part of our offense. We're not gonna deny that," Williams said. "He's definitely our one really true low-post presence. Memo (starting center Mehmet Okur) goes down low, but he's more of a mix-it-up guy inside-outside. So, we've got to find somebody to step up, whether it's (rookie) Paul (Millsap, the Jazz's backup power forward who responded with a 15-point, 17-rebound effort Saturday) or J.C. (Jarron Collins, Utah's backup center).

"We hope he gets better," Williams added. "We'll pray he gets better, and hopefully he gets back with us."

That seemed to be the sentiment of many in the Jazz locker room after Boozer spent much of the night icing his knee and Kirilenko hobbled around wearing a suit and a walking boot.

"Hopefully they're not big injuries (and) they come back," forward Matt Harpring said after the Jazz lost for the second time in their last three games, "because we need 'em."

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E-mail: tbuckley@desnews.com