Despite outcome, McLeod would make same decision

He didn't linger afterward, didn't even shower.

Jazz point guard Keith McLeod missed what would have been the game-winning layup in Utah's 85-84 loss to Washington on Thursday, then made a bee-line for somewhere he could try to clear his mind.

"I was really upset," McLeod said Friday.

"I went home," he added. "I thought about how many things I should have did differently with six seconds."

That's about how long McLeod had after stealing the ball from the Wizards' Larry Hughes, then racing downcourt with only Washington's Gilbert Arenas in front of him and Jazz teammate Raja Bell trailing on his right side.

McLeod drove, then veered a bit to the right — with Arenas right on him — before taking the running layup that missed.

"It's an arguable call," McLeod said. "Was it a foul? No. They didn't call it. I didn't make it. Game over."

As for doing anything differently, McLeod — after pondering the play overnight — said he had no real second thoughts.

"I don't know," he said. "I probably would have done the same thing."

Despite Thursday's miss, it's been a season of relative success for McLeod, who came into training camp thinking he'd be the Jazz's No. 3 point. Instead, he wound up starting after Carlos Arroyo was traded to Detroit and Raul Lopez underwent season-ending knee surgery.

Throughout the season, the Bowling Green product said, he has grown "a lot."

"Being able to play, getting the feel of the game — I think that helps out," he said. "The more you play, the more it helps. Because being on the sideline is totally different than being in the game."

McLeod will be an unrestricted free agent this offseason.

"I try not to think about it," he said. "Hopefully something good will happen, but I'm not sure."

As of now, Lopez is the Jazz's only point under contract for next season.

KIRILENKO'S FUTURE: In six weeks, the broken left wrist Jazz star Andrei Kirilenko sustained Thursday should be fully healed.

There are other wounds, however, that Kirilenko — who also missed 26 games earlier this season due to a sprained knee — must address.

Chiefly, a blow to the psyche.