Slumping Kirilenko
By Marty Gitlin
WagerWeb.com Contributing Writer
Is Andrei Kirilenko lost in Utah or have his skills suddenly and inexplicably deteriorated?
That is the question being asked both inside and outside the organization. In fact, it’s a question he’s asking himself.
The heretofore productive forward is no longer, partly because he is not utilized extensively in the offense. He’s scoring just 9.1 points a game compared to an average of about 16 over the past three years.
Yet he’s shooting a respectable 45 percent from the field, indicating he’s either become gun-shy or the emergence of Carlos Boozer, Deron Williams and Mehmet Okur as significant offensive threats has decreased his role in the offense.
Kirilenko, who missed five games with a sprained ankle early in the season, is pulling down just 5.2 rebounds a game compared to 8.1 a year ago. His blocked shots and assists have also markedly decreased.
Jazz owner Larry Miller told radio station 1280 AM that Kirilenko is “putting himself on thin ice” with his inconsistency and complaints about his role on the team.
“I’d almost like to call his bluff, say ‘OK, automatically we’re going to leave you out there. You’re going to take 20 shots a night five games in a row. And then we’ll see,’ ” Miller said. “That would resolve the issue. He’s either going to make them or he’s not.”
Kirilenko, who took just six shots in a 102-94 win Friday night at Toronto, expressed his frustrations on the court after meeting with coaches this week.
“I just go back and forth, back and forth, back and forth and I go to sleep,” he said.
The saga will continue for Kirilenko and the Jazz Saturday night in Chicago, where they are 6.5-point underdogs, according to WagerWeb.com.
MAGIC MAGIC GONE: Remember when Orlando was 13-4? That has become a more distant memory by the day.
The Magic are 9-14 since despite a five-game winning streak during that stretch. They have dropped their last four, including an alarmingly lopsided 114-93 home defeat Friday night to Washington that shoved them 1 ½-games behind the first-place Wizards in the Southeast Division.
Orlando is fine in the backcourt with Jameer Nelson and Grant Hill, and Dwight Howard is established as one of the finest centers in the NBA. But one major reason for Orlando’s struggles is starting forwards Tony Battie and Hedo Turkoglu. The pair combine to average just 16.6 points and 8.8 rebounds a game. They were outscored, 52-14, and outrebounded, 23-9, by Washington starting forwards Caron Butler and Antawn Jamison Friday night.
WagerWeb.com lists the Magic as 3.5-point underdogs Saturday night in New Jersey, which will attempt to become the first Atlantic Division team to reach .500 since it was 5-5 on Nov. 20.
DRIBBLES: Charlotte forward Gerald Wallace played his first game in nearly a month and erupted for 18 points and 15 rebounds in a 96-75 win Friday night in Atlanta. The surging Bobcats, who have won six of 10, are 2-point favorites at home Saturday night against the Hawks, whose three-game winning streak was snapped. … Chris Webber made his first start Friday night for Detroit, registering 18 points and seven rebounds in a 104-98 overtime victory at Minnesota. The Pistons could take over first place in the Central Division with a home victory Saturday night against Sacramento and a Cleveland loss in Golden State. WagerWeb.com lists Detroit as a 6-point favorite and the slumping Cavaliers as 3-point underdogs. Chicago can also forge a first-place tie by defeating the Jazz. … Boston forward Paul Pierce hopes to return from a left foot injury by the first week of February. The Celtics have collapsed without the all-star. They have lost six in a row and are likely to make it seven Saturday night in Washington, where they are 11-point underdogs, according to WagerWeb.com.