Utah Jazz notebook: Kirilenko's glad growing family is together again

Andrei Kirilenko had a great reason to be excited to go home Saturday night — and it wasn't just to get away from the scene of a shocking Jazz loss.

The proud papa had to get back to his family reunion, which began late Friday night when his wife, Masha, returned from Russia with their newly adopted 3-month-old daughter, Sasha.

They don't have too much time to get reacquainted, seeing as the Jazz leave today for a weeklong East Coast road trip. But Kirilenko — prior to the 104-99 loss to the Kings, at least — had some extra giddy-up in his step along with some bags under his eyes on Saturday.

Kirilenko was both thrilled and relieved to have the whole family united in Utah.

"Finally, they're here. They're home," the smiling small forward said at the morning shootaround after a long night. "Definitely exciting. It's been a long time."

The Kirilenko boys — Andrei and his two young sons — have been in Utah the past three weeks while the family's females waited for the baby's paperwork to be processed.

The separation was tiring and trying for Kirilenko, who had 10 points and six rebounds Saturday.

"It's kind of tough to live that life," he said.

Carlos Boozer can empathize with Kirilenko. Boozer's family stayed in Miami most of last season because the warm weather was more conducive to his young son Carmani's successful battle with sickle-cell anemia.

Being apart, Boozer said, is "the worst."

"Your phone bill goes up a little bit. You're talking all day long," Boozer said. "But when your loved ones aren't with you, you worry about them more than you usually do and you're constantly thinking about them."

But it makes for sweet get-togethers when that happens, like it did this weekend for the Kirilenkos.

"When (they) come, you just get like a rejuvenated life in you," Boozer said.

That explains the sparkle Boozer saw in Kirilenko's sleepy eyes.

"He's pumped up," Boozer said. "They got in late, but he's happy to have his whole family back with him."

Kirilenko smiled while talking about seeing his daughter again.

"She get more mature right now," he said.

For the record, Kirilenko was not expecting teammates to throw him a baby shower. Something else isn't exactly in his plans, either.