Coming or going, AK's better

They disagree over which end of the floor got Andrei Kirilenko going on the other.

But virtually everyone with the Jazz seems to agree that Kirilenko must keep on trucking if Utah is to have any hope of winning its next two meetings with Houston, including tonight's Game 6, and taking its first-round NBA playoff series with the Rockets.

"From Game 1 to the last game, there's a different person. And we need that," Jazz coach Jerry Sloan said of Kirilenko, who was so frustrated by his poor play and reduced role in Utah's series opener that he shed tears the next day.

"I mean, we're not asking him to go out and get 20 points — but we need his energy, we need his activity, we need his passing," added Sloan, who appreciated Kirilenko's five assists and three blocks perhaps as much as anything he did in Utah's Game 5 loss Monday. "Those things are all important to helping us stay alive."

Sloan suggested Kirilenko found his offensive rhythm and was able to score a personal series-high eight points on 4-of-5 field shooting Monday "because he worked hard in different areas."

Point guard Deron Williams said, "I think (the success on offense) picks him up defensively as well."

Either way, the Jazz need both from Kirilenko — a one-time All-Star whose points, because of the emergence of other scorers, are not nearly as treasured as they once were.

"When he's active like that," power forward Carlos Boozer said, "it picks everybody up."

"He got his confidence going a little bit," Williams added, "and hopefully it will continue."

Sloan is just happy someone who seemed so lost a week-and-a-half ago appears to have found his way.

"I had nothing but hope that he would be able to (fight back), and he has," the Jazz coach said. "He's played much better. And that helps get us a little better opportunity to try to win, and that's all we're looking for."

UPON FURTHER REVIEW: Shortly after he was called for a critical charging call with 12.4 seconds left in Game 5 and Utah trailing at the time by two in what wound up to be a four-point loss, Jazz shooting guard Derek Fisher said he was "pretty stunned and confused" — but added he wouldn't be able to offer an accurate assessment of the foul until seeing a replay.

Wednesday, the first time he's met with the media since, Fisher was asked what he thought upon further review. He still, however, wasn't willing to concede referee Steve Javie made the proper call.