Utah Jazz: Fesenko will start tonight's game in place of injured Okur

MILWAUKEE — The Jazz will play the Milwaukee Bucks tonight without starting center Mehmet Okur, whose lower back locked up following shootaround this morning.

Starting in Okur's place will be seldom-used big man Kyrylo Fesenko, who has appeared in just six games this season and has not played in the Jazz's last 11 straight games.

Fesenko — who turns 22 years old Wednesday — has not played since Nov. 29 vs. New Jersey, when he logged five minutes against the Nets.

But Jazz coach Jerry Sloan decided to go with the big Ukrainian rather than rookie Kosta Koufos or a smaller lineup because of the sheer size presented by Milwaukee's starting center — 7-foot, 260-pound University of Utah product Andrew Bogut.

"We don't have much size if we go the other way," Sloan said. "I'd hate to have to start off small to begin with, so ... we just thought we'd try to see how he does and give him a chance to play."

Asked what kind of shape Fesenko is, Sloan said, "We'll find out."

The reaction from Fesenko, who found out he'd be starting less than an hour-and-a-half before tonight's game?

"Yeah, surprised," he said. "I saw that Memo wasn't going (in pre-game warmups) ... but I was thinking he'd be okay. What's wrong with him?"

It's not the first time Okur has had back spasms this season.

He's been bothered by his back since before the season started, and missed a Nov. 17 game against Phoenix because the back tightened up on long flight after visiting his ailing father at home in Turkey.

"I started to feel it after (Saturday's) Chicago game a little bit," Okur said, "but I thought it wasn't a big deal.

"After shootaround," he added, "it was worse. I can't tell you exactly what happened, but right now ... I can't run 100 percent. Hopefully I'm gonna be fine after tonight's game. I'm gonna get treatment, and I'll be ready to go next game."

After ending a five-game trip tonight, the Jazz are off until playing host to Dallas on Friday night.

E-mail: tbuckley@desnews.com