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Denver

A minute into the Jazz's season opener Wednesday night, forward Andrei Kirilenko deftly intercepted a pass, drove down the court with a teammate running alongside him and rose into the air. Somehow, you just knew this was not going to end well.

Kirilenko threw the ball away, and this disaster was just beginning.

The nicest possible review of the Jazz's showing would be to say they participated for the required 48 minutes.

Looking for something redeeming, maybe even encouraging, from this performance? OK, here's one name: Paul Millsap. That's all you're getting.

In a 110-88 loss at the Pepsi Center, where they inspiringly won a playoff game six months ago, the supposedly refreshed, rejuvenated, remade Jazz looked like they'd never, ever played together — much less won all eight preseason games.

"Everyone here knows there'll be some growing pains," said guard Raja Bell. "To what extent remains to be seen, but I think we'd all be a little bit naïve if we thought we were going to come out here and just run the table. … We're new to each other and there'll probably some times when we don't look that great."

Or absolutely horrible, in this case.

The offense was disjointed. The defense was inadequate. Rebounding was a problem. Turnovers were an issue. Fouls were common.

Otherwise, there was not much to criticize.

Any chance of flying in Carlos Boozer, Kyle Korver and Wesley Matthews for tonight's home opener?

Look, the Jazz were not going to win this game. Not with Denver coach George Karl making his emotional return after missing the end of last season because of cancer treatment. Not with the Nuggets having dwelled for months on the Jazz's playoff series victory.

But c'mon. You were expecting more from these guys, right? Much, much more. And the Jazz failed to deliver anything that suggested any kind of promise.

First impressions? The Jazz's key newcomers can only ask for a second chance.

Al Jefferson's opening sequence: Nene's jumper over him, a miss from the baseline, Nene's ducking inside for a layup, a loose-ball foul.

Bell's beginning: A miss on a curl play, Aaron Afflalo's three-pointer over him, a traveling call, a miss from the corner.

Gordon Hayward's debut: Carmelo Anthony's easy post-up over him, two misses that went short and long.

Jefferson, the hoped-for cure for whatever problems Boozer caused in Jazzland, scored only six points, while responding poorly to double-team defenses.

"I've got to look to pass," Jefferson said. "I've got to get out of that habit I had in Minnesota. … I was a black hole when the ball came in. Regardless, I tried to score."

Of course, blaming the new guys is too easy. There's plenty of discredit to go around. Kirilenko launched his contract year by looking as if he's worth closer to $17.80 than $17.8 million, with almost as many turnovers (four) as total points and rebounds.

Deron Williams could not make the offense run efficiently or take it over himself before the outcome was decided, scoring only four points by halftime, when the Jazz trailed 60-40.

For openers, I've seen worse, if just barely. In 1986, I witnessed the Halloween Massacre in Dallas, where the Jazz scored 10 first-quarter points and lost by 26 in Larry H. Miller's first game as the team's full owner. They came home and won the next night. So there's danger in judging anybody too soon in the NBA.

Yet the only real consolation I would offer in advance of Thursday's game is there's no way the Jazz could play this badly again, anytime soon.

Is there?

kkragthorpe@sltrib.com Twitter: @tribkurt