Utah Jazz: Thunderstruck by Oklahoma City

Jazz-Thunder boxscore

OKLAHOMA CITY — Maybe the Utah Jazzs medical staff should simply put the hobbled and hampered teams entire 2010-11 season on the injury report.

Its limping and wounded enough to merit the designation.

Playing their umpteenth game at less than full strength because of health issues, the Jazzs season and playoff hopes became even more strained Wednesday night with a 106-94 loss to the Oklahoma City Thunder.

Theyre full speed and theyve got most of their guys, Jazz coach Tyrone Corbin said of the Northwest Division-leading Thunder. Were fighting an uphill battle with injuries, but the effort, again, was there.

But for the third straight time on this winless road trip, a debilitating defeat was also there.

Adding to the misery, Utahs list of healthy players became even more depleted during this game, which put the Jazz four full games out of the eighth and final playoff spot behind Memphis with 10 to go.

Already without starting point guard Devin Harris (strained right hamstring) and backup big man Derrick Favors (sprained left ankle), small forward Andrei Kirilenko returned to Utahs M*A*S*H unit. Scoot over, Mehmet Okur.

You have company.

This is how bizarre Utahs ailing season has turned: Kirilenko, whos already dealt with back and ankle ailments, was sidelined after bruising something called a peroneal nerve — go ahead, Google it — in his left knee.

Even after Kirilenkos second-half absence, the Jazz managed to keep this one competitive through three quarters.

Utah even erased an early 10-point deficit to take a brief lead when birthday boy Gordon Hayward, a second-half starter for Kirilenko, fed Paul Millsap for a dunk and a 54-53 advantage.

It turned out to be a very brief lead for the Jazz.

Utah stayed with OKC for a few more minutes before Thunder stars Russell Westbrook (31 points) and Kevin Durant (29 points) reminded the Jazz of the divisions new pecking order and took over.

We fought hard, Corbin said. I think we gave ourselves a chance to have an opportunity to win the game at the end. It fell off a little bit and they made some runs.