Kirilenko kick-starts Jazz

Andrei Kirilenko will have to watch out.

If he plays like he did Wednesday — like the Kirilenko of two years ago — he may get an odd present from coach Jerry Sloan.

After a recent talk with Kirilenko as the young forward was trying to find his way in the Jazz offense, Sloan said he's been satisfied with Kirilenko's progress.

"He's tried to do it, and I've tried to do my side of it," Sloan said.

"I told him, 'It doesn't make any difference to me.

" 'I'll kiss you out in front of State Street or out on any street you want if that makes you play harder. My job is to win. It's not to come in second.' "

He didn't Wednesday.

The Jazz downed the Portland Trailblazers 82-77 in the Delta Center to finish off a five-game homestand and move their record to 10-12, while Portland, which led by 11 early, fell to 6-15.

The Jazz now make their five-game pre-Christmas Eastern road trip starting Friday night at Indianapolis. Their next home game is Dec. 26 against Memphis.

"I've never coached a guy yet that I've wanted to fail," said Sloan, who got a lot of success from Kirilenko the last several nights with Wednesday being a high-water mark.

Along with big games from Jarron Collins and Memo Okur, Kirilenko kick-started the Jazz at the end of the first half, which ended with them ahead 44-43, and they were never again headed, though the Blazers came close.

Kirilenko tied career highs with 16 rebounds and eight blocked shots while scoring 21 points, tying Okur for high points. He also had three assists and two steals and probably led the club in energy.

"When we keep our tempo up, we are almost unbeatable," said a happy Kirilenko, overstating things just a bit.

He thought he should have had another block. "They stole a block on a 24-second violation," he said, but actually it was because of that block that the Blazers got the clock violation, and it did count.

He also thanked Sloan for keeping him on the floor a lot lately.

Kirilenko said the Jazz were playing hard and with focus, "not for the whole game but most of it."

Now, he wants to see consistency from himself and the team.