Kirilenko finding his groove

EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. — Throughout his early season shooting slump, Andrei Kirilenko's confidence has hardly waned.

"Especially defensively," he said.

That much was evident Monday, when the Jazz forward blocked seven shots and pulled down eight rebounds while logging 46 minutes in Utah's 95-91 overtime win at Charlotte.

As for Kirilenko's offensive game, production was up Monday — even if his shot was still a bit off.

After shooting just 27 percent in the Jazz's first three games of the season, Kirilenko hit 8-of-16 and scored a season-high 20 against the Bobcats.

He expects more, though.

"All I'm trying to do: just be focused on the game," he said after also dishing five assists and helping Jazz big man Mehmet Okur pop a career-high 31 points. "And I've waited. You know, I've waited. It will come. It will come — because, I don't know, for some reason I just don't feel it. I shoot the ball like normal, and it goes in another direction."

Coach Jerry Sloan, for one, does not seem too concerned about the direction in which Kirilenko is headed as the Jazz prepare to face New Jersey tonight in the second outing of a four-game Eastern road swing.

"Andrei's gonna be just fine," he said. "You know, every player goes through tough times, and they have to learn how to play through it."

In Charlotte, Kirilenko seemed on the path to doing just that.

"He was much more lively (Monday)," Sloan said. "His shot was much quicker."

That's good for the Jazz, because it's apparent just how much they need him.

Kirilenko seems to sense it, too.

"I feel like when I'm on the floor," he said, "we can win the game."

TRIMMING TIES: New Jersey started the season with four direct Jazz ties: former Utah point guard Jacque Vaughn, forward Scott Padgett and center Ben Handlogten all were on the Nets' roster, and ex-Jazz assistant coach Gordie Chiesa was working as Jersey's top assistant after leaving Utah last summer.

Now they're down to two.

Tuesday the Nets waived Handlogten, a European leagues veteran who debuted as a 30-year-old NBA rookie with the Jazz and played parts of two seasons in Utah.