After the Jazz lost Mehmet Okur to a ruptured left Achilles tendon in Game 1 of their first-round series against Denver, coach Jerry Sloan opted to continue bringing Paul Millsap off the bench out of the belief that he needed an experienced player in that role.

With Andrei Kirilenko now returning from his strained calf and offering another veteran off the bench, Sloan acknowledged Friday that he considered starting Millsap alongside Carlos Boozer for tonight's Game 3 against the Lakers.

But Sloan added that he would keep starting Kyrylo Fesenko at center, concerned about the possibility that foul trouble to Boozer or Millsap would force him to play Kirilenko more minutes than would be advisable for Kirilenko's first game back in weeks.

"If I get one of those guys in foul trouble, I may have to go longer than I want to go, and then I go back to kind of square one," Sloan said.

With Kirilenko having missed 23 of the last 25 games and having reinjured his calf three previous times trying to return, Sloan was candid in saying, "We're sitting there on pins and needles knowing the guy's been out for all these games."

Fesenko struggled in going 1-for-7 from the field and missing all four free throws he attempted in Game 2. Sloan, however, hopes a return to familiar surroundings at EnergySolutions Arena tonight will help Fesenko feel more comfortable.

"He hopefully plays better at home and gets some confidence in himself and be able to rebound the ball," Sloan said. "For as big as he is, he should be able to help us inside some. That's on-the-job training for these young guys."

How much difference starting the undersized Millsap might make is an open question, with the Jazz having been outrebounded 101-78 by the Lakers in this series.

Kirilenko, meanwhile, could match up against Kobe Bryant , Ron Artest , Lamar Odom or Pau Gasol . Sloan suggested that he would play Kirilenko as a backup power forward off the bench, rather than turning to young players Kosta Koufos or Fesenko.

As familiar as he is with Gasol after playing against him internationally for years, Kirilenko said he would prefer to guard Odom, who plays a more perimeter- than post-oriented game.

"I've got to see what's going on with him, see where I can play him, see where I think we can use him," Sloan said. "These guys that we have are still wanting to play as well and [Kirilenko] hasn't played in a long time, so we're kind of against a rope and a wire there, too."

Welcome back

Kirilenko tested his calf with some full-court play in practice Thursday and came away encouraged. "That was the only thing I was worried about, 5-on-5 full court," Kirilenko said, "but it went even easier than 2-on-2, 1-on-1."

But Kirilenko dismissed any suggestion that he should be viewed as some kind of savior, returning from injury with the Jazz trailing 2-0 in this series.

"I think it's a little bit wrong perception," Kirilenko said. "You can't really rely on one guy who's been out two months to save the game."

"We just need to play those games how we playing against Denver," he added. "Just aggressive basketball, solid, and we should be fine. You don't have to have somebody like come and really like save you."

Second helpings

Deron Williams called being selected to the all-NBA second team for the second time in his career a "great accomplishment," adding that, in his view, it's a bigger honor than making the All-Star team since it takes into account his play over the entire season.

Williams also said he had no issue with the NBA asking voters to select two guards (as well as two forwards) without respect to specific position for the all-NBA teams. Had there been a point-guard choice, Williams might well have been selected first team.

"It is what it is," Williams said. "Everybody on that first team deserves to be there. They're all great players." Bryant and Dwyane Wade were selected to the first team while two point guards in Williams and Steve Nash were selected to the second team.

Briefly

According to his website (memo13.com), Okur might try to attend this weekend's games after recently being fitted for a walking boot. ... If necessary, Game 5 will start at either 7 p.m. or 8:30 p.m. depending on whether there is an Orlando/Atlanta Game 5.