Utah Jazz forced to play without Williams, Kirilenko

SALT LAKE CITY — The Jazz lost to Atlanta on Monday night without both starting point guard Deron Williams and starting small forward Andrei Kirilenko.

"We would have loved to have them," swingman Kyle Korver said, "and hopefully they'll be back on Wednesday."

Williams said afterward that he does plan to play in Wednesday night's home game vs. Charlotte, but Kirilenko's status against the Bobcats is uncertain.

Williams was out because of a right quadriceps contusion sustained in Sunday night's win at Portland. He finished that game, but did have ice on his thigh and knee after getting hurt.

Backup Ronnie Price started in Williams' place Monday, and finished with 13 points and six assists in 33 minutes but shot just 5-for-14 from the field.

Kirilenko experienced back spasms in the second quarter of Sunday's game and did not return. Monday's was the seventh game he's missed this season because of back issues, including six in late November and early-to-mid December with a strained lower back.Backup C.J. Miles started in Kirilenko's place. He scored 12 in 38 minutes, but shot 5-for-13.

OKUR'S WILD RIDE: Jazz starting center Mehmet Okur flew with the Jazz from New Orleans to Oakland last Thursday, sat down to dinner and fielded a phone call from his wife.

Wife Yeliz was in labor, so Okur immediately flew to Salt Lake City, arrived around midnight, got picked up at the airport by his father-in-law visiting from Turkey and made it just in time for the arrival of first son Yigit around 1:15 a.m.

"I'm glad I made it, first," he said. "I could have missed it. ... I'm glad I found a plane ticket."

Mother and baby, both healthy, are expected to go home today.

A tired-looking Okur, who missed games at Golden State on Friday night and at Portland on Sunday, started against Atlanta on Monday.

He played only 14 minutes, scoring six points.

Okur said he'll try to benefit from the knowledge base built by the birth of his first child, daughter Melisa, whose arrival a few years ago was followed by a long stretch of poor play.

"I didn't sleep on the couch, that's the first thing. I learned my lesson," he said.

"Hopefully I'll be OK."