SALT LAKE CITY — Starting center by default, quote machine by nature, Kyrylo Fesenko has been thrust into the most significant role of his career in this year’s playoffs.
After Mehmet Okur injured his Achilles tendon in Game 1 of the series in Denver, Fesenko averaged 26 minutes in Games 2 through 5.
Always a reserve, but rarely reserved, Fesenko could be relied on for comic relief around the Jazz locker room. In this series, however, he exchanged levity for brevity — until Friday.
The third-year Ukrainian struggled in Game 5 in Denver, scoring just three points and grabbing six rebounds. When it was pointed out before Game 6 that he was efficient if nothing else — he made the only field goal he attempted — Fesenko was quick with a retort.
“One for one, yeah,” Fesenko said. “Sometimes I’m even better — zero for zero.”
Calf keeps Kirilenko out. It might have been wishful for Andrei Kirilenko to think he could play Friday; the injured Jazz forward missed Game 6.
Kirilenko said he was eager to play again but was being cautious with his strained left calf.
“My brain is in good shape and ready,” Kirilenko said after the Friday morning shootaround.
On the body part that’s actually in question, Kirilenko was more diplomatic, saying he was “still a couple of days away.”
Before Game 3, Kirilenko shot around with the team. At the time, he said a Game 6 return was a “good goal.”
“You have to make sure your body’s ready,” Kirilenko said Friday.
