Utah Jazz: Kirilenko misses practice due to visa problems

Because it would take another month to get an appointment, Utah Jazz forward Andrei Kirilenko was granted permission by the Utah Jazz to go to San Francisco on Thursday to apply for visas for his family to visit France this summer.

Kirilenko was thought to be back in Salt Lake City by Thursday afternoon, said his agent, Marc Fleisher, and he is expected to play Friday night in Game 6 of the Western Conference Semifinals at 8:30 against the Los Angeles Lakers in what is an elimination game for the Jazz.

"I don't see any reason why he wouldn't" play in the game at EnergySolutions Arena, said Jazz general manager Kevin O'Connor, who saw no problems with Kirilenko's actions because he received permission from coach Jerry Sloan. "I don't know enough about it, but I know he did speak with Coach Sloan last night. I knew last night that he and his family had some visa issues."

O'Connor added, "I don't think it is" when asked if Kirilenko's absence for a personal reason was any kind of issue with the team.

"He had to do it last year, too," Fleisher said of Kirilenko having to apply for travel visas.

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