Kirilenko to miss at least one game

Mar 6, 2008 - 7:10 PM SALT LAKE CITY, Utah (Ticker) -- Utah Jazz forward Andrei Kirilenko will miss at least one more game due to his strained right hip, the team announced Thursday.

Kirilenko suffered the injury in the first quarter of Monday's game with the Dallas Mavericks, when he was pulled to the court by Dirk Nowitzki.

After leaving Monday's 116-110 victory, Kirilenko also was forced to miss Wednesday's 105-76 triumph over the Minnesota Timberwolves. The Russian will not travel with the Jazz for Friday's road contest against the Phoenix Suns.

Kirilenko, 27, will receive treatment from a physical therapist and chiropractor before being re-evaluated Saturday morning. The Jazz currently have him listed as doubtful for Saturday night's home game against the Denver Nuggets.

Following Monday night's nasty spill, Kirilenko underwent X-rays and an MRI, both of which returned negative. Nowitzki was assessed a one-game suspension from the NBA for the flagrant foul.

"It looked nasty," Kirilenko said Thursday. "Probably the falling down wasn't too bad, but like the grabbing of the neck was not good.

"I feel like my leg went one way, my body the other way. And I feel like very sharp pain in the groin."

Kirilenko took a pass from point guard Deron Williams under the basket and threw a pump fake that got Nowitzki to leave his feet. On his way down, Nowitzki swatted hard at the ball and, on his follow through, grabbed Kirilenko's arm and threw him to the ground.

"I don't really think (Nowitzki) did it for, like, mean purpose, probably like because of the situation," Kirilenko said. "He already lost position, he was trying to stop somehow."

The 6-9 Kirilenko is averaging 11.5 points, 4.3 rebounds and 5.1 assists this season - his seventh with the Jazz.

Utah (40-22) has won 24 of its last 30 games and is first in the Northwest Division, three games ahead of the Nuggets (36-24). The Jazz also trail the San Antonio Spurs (42-17) by just 3 1/2 games for the top spot in the Western Conference.