Utah Jazz: Kirilenko will start tonight; Memo out

The Jazz will have a starting-lineup change for tonight's Game 3 of their first-round NBA playoff series with the Los Angeles Lakers.

Jazz coach Jerry Sloan said after today's morning shootaround that he will start Andrei Kirilenko, who usually came off the bench during the past regular season, at small forward in place of Kyle Korver.

He'll join point guard Deron Williams, shooting guard Ronnie Brewer, power forward Carlos Boozer and — because injured regular Mehmet Okur will sit out again — center Jarron Collins.

"Just a different look," Williams said. "Hopefully it gives A.K. some confidence. You know, we need him playing well."

Kirilenko shot just 3-for-10 from the field in Game 1 and played just 17 minutes in Tuesday's Game 2, a Jazz loss that left Utah down 0-2 in the best-of-seven series.

The move is being made primarily for defensive reasons, as Korver had trouble keeping up with Lakers small forward Trevor Ariza in the first two games of the series. With Korver often slow to get back after offering help inside, Ariza is 6-for-7 from the 3-point in Games 1 and 2.

Sloan was reluctant to start Kirilenko at the beginning of the series, saying he preferred to have him available as a defender on Kobe Bryant when Brewer wasn't on the floor against the Lakers star.

But now, as the series moves from Staples Center in Los Angeles to EnergySolutions Arena, his defense is needed elsewhere.

"Ariza's had great runs here on us in the games," Sloan said today. "I thought I'd try to start Andrei, and see what happens."

"Just a little more length out there," Williams added. "You know, Ariza's been hurting us an awful lot starting the ball games out with his outside shooting and his defensive hustle. So, hopefully A.K. can match that."

C.J. Miles started at small forward through the regular season, but — with Okur injured — Korver opened there in hopes that his shooting touch would help spread the floor instead.

But he shot just 4-for-10 in Game 2, allowing the Lakers to pack in their defense even more.

Okur, meanwhile, remains out with a strained right hamstring.

He missed Utah's final regular-season game and the series' first two games, and did not take part in today's shootaround.

Okur said this morning he's unsure if he'll available for Saturday's Game 4.

E-MAIL: tbuckley@desnews.com