Utah Jazz notebook: Kyrylo Fesenko's contribution looming large for Utah

SALT LAKE CITY — Get the ball inside to Nene. Go at Kyrylo Fesenko.

Acting head coach Adrian Dantley openly spoke about that being a big part of the Denver Nuggets' game plan heading into last Monday's Game 2 of their first-round NBA playoff series with the Jazz.

And it didn't surprise Fesenko — fill-in starter for injured regular Mehmet Okur — one bit.

After watching plenty of video of the Nuggets, Fesenko said, "I noticed they always go to (Nene) a lot in the first quarter, so I was ready for that."

The 7-foot-1, 300-pound Fesenko wound up logging 20 minutes Monday, scoring four points and grabbing two rebounds.

Nene finished with 17 and six, but — perhaps most importantly — Fesenko filled the gap in minutes so starting power forward Carlos Boozer and backup power forward Paul Millsap didn't have to go the full 48 each in the eventual Jazz win.

"He did a great job, even though it didn't show up in the stats," Jazz point guard Deron Williams said.

"He changes the game a little bit," Williams added. "He can guard Nene a little better. He's a bigger body in there. He clogs up the lane. You turn the corner, you see him in the lane, it's a little different, because he's a shot-blocker and he eats up a lot of space."

That's why Williams expects even more from Fesenko tonight, when the Jazz host Game 3 in the best-of-seven series, which is tied 1-1.

"Hopefully, he'll get some more rebounds for us and get a couple blocks," the Jazz point guard said Thursday. "That's what he needs to do."

To that end, Williams has been trying to help keep Fesenko composed.

"He's like a little puppy," Williams said. "So I'm just trying to keep him calmed down, make sure he's ready to go.

"It's good if he does it at the right time, you know?" Williams added with reference to Fesenko's penchant for jokes and gags. "Sometimes with Fes, it just comes at the wrong time. ... He doesn't know where to balance it out. But he's been great lately. He knows the importance of the playoffs."

Knowing he's going to play has helped, suggest teammates trying to keep the 23-year-old in check.

"It's good for him to have responsibility, instead of throughout most of the year just having to play spot minutes, situational minutes," Boozer said. "We'll keep him grounded, we'll keep him hungry, and I think he'll be fine."