Andrei Kirilenko shakes flu symptoms to play

LOS ANGELES — Though he exited practice early and was sent home Thursday due to what Jazz officials called "flu-like symptoms," small forward Andrei Kirilenko started in Friday night's road game against the Los Angeles Clippers.

Kirilenko — who began the night averaging 11.9 points, 5.4 rebounds, 4.4 assists, 1.73 blocks and 1.27 steals per game — missed one other game this season, a Feb. 4 win over New Orleans, due to flu-like symptoms.

He also has missed an additional four games due to injury, including three in January because of lower-back inflammation and one in late December with a strained biceps tendon.

No Jazz player, by the way, has missed more than eight games this season due to a combination of injury, illness and/or personal reasons.

Starting center Mehmet Okur and reserve point guard Jason Hart each have missed eight.

JAZZ FANS: It seems many from the crew over at ESPN are big Jazz fans.

What follows are excerpts from answers to a question — How do you see the West shaking out? — posed to a panel of writers:

• ESPN.com's Chad Ford: "My sleeper is Utah. I love the balance that the team has and the Jazz have an amazing coach."

• TrueHoop's Henry Abbott: "Watching the NBA over the last few months, I have gained a ton of respect for the Jazz. They don't give up anything without a fight, they have a burly alpha dog controlling the ball, and Carlos Boozer is a first-class shot-maker. Kirilenko has to be on the floor for defense, and now even he is finding the range with an improved shot ... Utah is right there with the Lakers in my mind, nosing out the Spurs, Mavericks, Suns (whom I picked to win it all before the season) and Hornets."

• ESPN The Magazine's Chris Broussard: "Utah has the best shot, in my opinion, of knocking off one of (the Lakers, Suns, Spurs or Mavericks). The Jazz won't win the conference, but they could send a contender home early."

• ESPN.com's John Hollinger: "If forced at gunpoint to pick a horse I'd go with Utah, but the best answer is simply 'I don't know.'"