Utah Jazz: No Williams, Okur or Kirilenko tonight

CHARLOTTE — Usual starting point Deron Williams, starting center Mehmet Okur and sixth man Andrei Kirilenko all will not play when the Jazz visit the Charlotte Bobcats tonight.

Williams said his sprained left ankle is just too sore to go, and he probably won't play Saturday night in Cleveland either.

"I can't do anything," said Williams, who played in two games after missing the start of the season because of the ankle. "I can't push off of it, I can't move like I want to. So, there's no reason to play."

Okur, who returned to his native Turkey to be with his seriously ill father, will miss a third straight game.

Kirilenko sprained the tip of his right index finger in Wednesday's loss at Washington, and said it's too painful to play as well.

"I can't catch the ball," Kirilenko said, adding he wasn't sure if he'd be available Saturday or not

Because of the absences, Utah Valley State product Ronnie Price will get his seventh start of the season at the point tonight and rookie Kosta Koufous will make a third straight start at center.

The 6-2 Jazz will be playing their fourth outing in a five-game trip that started with last Sunday's loss at New York.

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E-mail: tbuckley@desnews.com