Starting center Mehmet Okur will miss the rest of the season due to a ruptured Achilles tendon. He will miss the next 6-9 months after he decides to have surgery which could put him out o action until next Christmas. Okur played in 11 minutes in the first game of the playoff series against the Nuggets and he finished up with 7 points and 2 rebounds. Losing Okur is a big blow to the Jazz as either Kyrylo Fesenko or Kosta Koufos will start at center for the rest of the year. More than likely though the Jazz will go with a small lineup most of the time with Paul Millsap and Carlos Boozer on the court at the same time.

Starting small forward Andrei Kirilenko will miss at least the next two weeks as he aggravated his strained calf during practice. Kirilenko has played in 58 games (35 starts) this season for the Jazz in which he averaged 29.0 minutes, 11.9 points, 4.6 rebounds, 2.7 assists, 1.4 steals and 1.2 blocked shots per game. The Jazz will really miss AK-47 as he was going to unleash his really good D on Carmelo Anthony. That job will now fall to C.J. Miles. Miles played in 63 games (28 starts) this season for the Jazz and he averaged 23.8 minutes, 9.9 points, 2.7 rebounds and 1.7 assists per game.

Starting power forward Carlos Boozer will be a game time decision for Game #1 of the playoff series against the Denver Nuggets with a oblique injury. Boozer has played in 78 games (all starts) for the Jazz this season and he has averaged 34.3 minutes, 19.5 points, 11.2 rebounds, 3.2 assists and 1.1 steals per game. If Boozer can’t go the Jazz will turn to Paul Millsap who is a outstanding player in his own right. Millsap played in 82 games (8 starts) for the Jazz this year and he averaged 27.8 minutes, 11.6 points, 6.8 rebounds, 1.6 assists and 1.2 blocked shots per game. Millsap will do a good job if needed to start but the Jazz would be better off having both Boozer & Millsap tomorrow against the Nuggets.

Starting center Mehmet Okur didn’t play in the Jazz’ last game and there is really no reason to play him until the playoffs with his Achilles aching him right now. Okur has played in 71 games (all starts) for the Jazz this season and he is averaging 29.4 minutes, 13.3 points, 7.0 rebounds, 1.7 assists and 1.1 blocked shots per game. The Jazz will need all hands on the deck in the playoffs so it’s a good idea to rest Okur for now.

The Utah Jazz have lost SG/SF Kyle Korver indefinately due to surgery on his left knee. This will hurt the Jazz who have already lost C.J. Miles for a while hurting the depth of the Jazz big time. The Jazz will likely try to talk Matt Harpring into playing this season as he was considering retirement due to bad knees. If they can’t succeed in talking Harpring out of retirement then Ronnie Brewer will likely be playing big time minutes at shooting guard. Point guards Ronnie Price and rookie Eric Maynor might have to play some minutes at shooting guard until Korver is ready to return and there lack of size will be a huge problem.