Deseret News | Utah Jazz: Bigger, stronger

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Utah Jazz: Bigger, stronger — better with age?

KIRILENKO'S BROAN | 10:10 a.m. Oct. 28, 2009

What took the Jazz so long to figure this out! If you can maintain your athleticism while bulking up it will help you in a number of ways. How many times have we seen Andre drive to the basket and be knocked off course with a little bump. How many times have we seen him get stripped because he had to lower the ball in order to have enough momentum going up to get the ball in the basket. I don't think you will see it too much in his numbers this year but if Boozer leaves this off season then next year we will see a lot more Williams Kirilenko pick and rolls.

Citizen_Jim | 11:27 a.m. Oct. 28, 2009

I've always considered AK an extraordinarily dynamic player. But physical abilities aside, I think he lacks that killer instinct and hyper-competativeness that define the likes of Malone, Stock, MJ, KB, etc.
More than any other player, I'm thrilled when he does well, and disappointed when he doesn't. A successful AK will lead to a successful Jazz.

Forgot Arroyo | 12:34 p.m. Oct. 28, 2009

Besides Harpring and Collins, Carlos Arroyo played with Malone and Stockton, and he signed with the Heat prior to the season. Oops.

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Captain Kirk | 12:49 p.m. Oct. 28, 2009

@ KIRILENKO'S BROAN | 10:10 a.m. Oct. 28, 2009

The Jazz have asked him to bulk up for a long time.
This is just the first time he has really bought into it.

He has added weight before ... but after a few weeks it was gone.

It sounds like it might be the real deal this year.

Jazz Fan | 2:23 p.m. Oct. 28, 2009

If you look at the games where AK played like a All Star, the Jazz probably won 95% of them. He really is the key to the Jazz going deep into the playoffs. Let's hope the new body, makes him play better. Go Jazz.

re: Kirilenkos broan | 2:25 p.m. Oct. 28, 2009

"what took the jazz so long to figure this out!"

Uh, the Jazz have asked AK to bulk up every offseason. He has returned to camp every year with the same assertion that he had except until this year it has been far more Fiction than Fact.

Watch tonight how much better AK can handle Melo on the block. Nobody really stops Melo with the rules the way they are now but in the preseason AK did noticeably better defending Melo.

Size does matter!

true fan 84 | 4:15 p.m. Oct. 28, 2009

arroyo doesn't play for the jazz. hasn't for years. there are others still out there that played with them. kobe, and shag played with karl. when ak plays like ak the jazz have an x factor that is incredible. the stats of steals and blocks are misleading as they don't count the number of deflections, interrupted shots and passes and the fact when he is on no one shoots with confidence because you just don't know what the lanky russian will do or where he'll be.

re: true fan 84 | 5:41 p.m. Oct. 28, 2009

Good point, I re-read that part of the article. DeShawn Stevenson also played for the Jazz during the Malone-Stockton era.

AK really is the X-factor. You never know what you're going to get out of him, so it's hard to tell what he'll bring on a given day. I think the fact that he isn't expected to score (or hasn't for a few seasons) really bruised his ego, and it's been a long time in the making for him to get over it. I'm hoping that his willingness to bulk up also demonstrates willingness to do whatever it takes to win - and that's hustle and be a defensive stopper.

Ak Fan | 6:49 p.m. Oct. 28, 2009

Go my man. Make your fan proud. You are the reason I watch basketball.

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August Miller, Deseret News

Andrei Kirilenko is sporting a new look in his ninth season in a Jazz uniform.

Basketball 00:24	1	2	3	4	T
Jazz	22	29			51
Magic	35	25			60

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Utah Jazz: Bigger, stronger — better with age?

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Utah Jazz: Bigger, stronger — better with age?