Kirilenko is clearly frustrated

HOUSTON — Andrei Kirilenko sat alone at the far corner of the court, fighting back tears.

His eyes were red-rimmed, his skin sallow. But most uncharacteristic was that there wasn't even a hint of a smile.

The Happy Russian was clearly unhappy at Sunday's practice.

"It's frustrating," mumbled Kirilenko.

The scary part for the Jazz isn't that they had lost their opening playoff game to the Rockets. Rather, it's that once again their $75-million man is confused, frustrated and perhaps a bit self-pitying. He left Saturday's game with five minutes left in the third quarter, after being shaken up momentarily. But, as he put it, "a couple minutes later I was ready."

Yet he didn't return until Matt Harpring fouled out with seven seconds left in the game.

The Jazz might still be able to overcome the Rockets, but they almost surely won't if their highest-paid player is a wreck. Kirilenko is a sensitive kid who dearly loves the game. His coach is an old-school disciplinarian whose answer to almost any problem is to simply work harder. Neither seems able to change who they are.

Next on Montel: "Discontented Kids and the Coaches Who Love Them."

"I won't say I did great (Saturday)," Kirilenko said, "but I did something. Which is hard to explain. It's been like this the whole year."

Ah, yes the Problem. Earlier this season, Kirilenko complained he wasn't getting enough "touches." He stressed that it wasn't points he wanted, just to be part of the offense. Jazz owner Larry H. Miller fired back that Kirilenko was "on thin ice" with his remarks.

Sloan went with his usual solution — work it out.

Now it's playoff time and nothing's changed. As recently as early April, Kirilenko told the Sacramento Bee: "You can't pass the ball with no ball."

That's how it goes when there's something seriously wrong with a relationship, a body, a car or a home.

Unless fixed, the problem only festers.

Informed Sunday that Kirilenko wasn't happy, Sloan replied, "I know it's very uncomfortable for him, it's very uncomfortable for me. I'm not happy with it, but I don't know how to handle it. I'm not equipped."