Utah Jazz: Kirilenko not complaining about coming in off the bench

Andrei Kirilenko came off the bench in Tuesday night's NBA preseason opener for the Utah Jazz, and it's a lineup change coach Jerry Sloan says he is considering using more often.

But if the Russian small forward is upset that C.J. Miles took his spot as a starter — for that game and perhaps more — he didn't show it at practice this morning.

Quite the opposite, in fact.

Kirilenko said he has no complaints about the rare reserve role. He played 22 minutes and scored six points during the Jazz's 99-90 win over the Los Angeles Lakers in Anaheim, Calif.

"It's all right," he said. "Coach went to me in the morning (Tuesday) and told me that. I said I don't have a problem with it."

Sloan is experimenting with using Kirilenko as a sub because he likes having a player who can enter the game at full speed — a role Matt Harpring has filled in recent years. Harpring is sidelined for now, though, as he rehabs his right ankle.

Kirilenko, who practiced shooting with special assistant coach Jeff Hornacek before today's practice, has started every regular-season game he's played in for the past two seasons. He came off the bench for 10 times and had 100 starts between 2004-06.

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