Ostertag, Giricek doubtful; McLeod is back

Jazz starting center Greg Ostertag is scheduled to undergo an MRI exam on Monday to determine the extent of damage to his inflamed right knee, the Jazz said Saturday.

Ostertag exited Friday night's loss to Seattle after playing just nine minutes — six in the first half and three in the third quarter — and did not return after complaining of soreness in the knee.

His status for Monday night's Delta Center game against Detroit is dependent in part on the result of the MRI.

Usual Jazz starting shooting guard Gordan Giricek, meanwhile, is being listed as "doubtful" for Monday's meeting with the Pistons, but Jazz point guard Keith McLeod should be available after missing 13 straight games due to an avulsion fracture in his lower back.

Giricek did not play Friday due to Achilles tendinitis, prompting Jazz coach Jerry Sloan to start Devin Brown in his place against the Sonics.

Brown finished with 14 points in 19 minutes but afterward expressed frustration over the way he was used in a 106-90 loss and a rotation that he called "just confusion."

The Jazz did not practice Saturday but are scheduled to work out this morning in advance of their fourth outing in a five-game homestand that concludes Wednesday night vs. Portland.

KIRILENKO LAUDED: Sloan had kind words after Friday's loss for forward Andrei Kirilenko, who had 17 points, 11 rebounds, three steals and three blocks in 37 minutes for his third double-double of the season.

"Andrei did terrific," Sloan said of Kirilenko, who complained recently about the way he is being used in the Jazz offense. "He played his heart out."

Kirilenko, who also has expressed frustration lately over the quality of his play since returning from a sprained ankle that sidelined him for seven games, was averaging just 9.8 points and 5.4 boards in his five games back before Friday.

Still, he did not seem nearly as impressed as Sloan with the personal effort against Seattle.

"Not good enough," said Kirilenko, who was starting before his injury but has been coming off the bench behind Matt Harpring since. "It doesn't help us."

MOVE OVER: Sloan has some new company in the rafters of the United Center in Chicago.

When the Bulls on Friday night retired Scottie Pippen's No. 33, he became just the fourth player in franchise history so honored. The other Bulls numbers hanging in Chicago: Sloan's 4, Bob Love's 10 and Michael Jordan's 23.

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E-mail: tbuckley@desnews.com