The Jazz are about to find out.

Andrei Kirilenko, the NBA's top shot-blocker this season, will go on the injured list today, the Jazz announced Monday, after an MRI revealed a Grade 2 sprain of the MCL in his right knee. Another player, either forward Kris Humphries or center Aleksandar Radojevic, will be activated today.

The team refuses to pinpoint how much time Kirilenko might miss, but five games is certain and a month appears a possibility.

"He won't miss half the season," said trainer Gary Briggs, and if that's a thin morsel of consolation, it's about all the Jazz were left with two days after losing their All-Star forward during their worst loss ever to the Spurs.

In fact, considering Utah has lost five of its last seven games and one of the league's best teams, 11-2 Phoenix, visits the Delta Center tonight (7 p.m., no TV), consolation was the meal of the day. And there was plenty to go around.

"It was a football injury," said Kevin O'Connor, relieved that the damage wasn't greater.

"Now we get to see how much this means to some of these guys," challenged coach Jerry Sloan.

"This will get us to come together as a team," said center Jarron Collins.

The front office, coach and players all have decisions to make in the wake of Kirilenko's injury, which occurred in the second quarter Saturday when Spurs guard Beno Udrih fell backward onto the side of Kirilenko's leg. But the first concerns were all medical.

Lyle Mason, the Jazz's orthopedic surgeon, determined that no surgery will be necessary, drastically reducing the time needed for rehabilitation.

Instead, Kirilenko will wear a brace that prevents side-to-side movement until the ligament heals itself. "It's painful when you press on the [ligament]. If he stands straight and weight-bears, it's not that painful. It he tries to do lateral stuff, it feels unstable," Briggs said. "Everything else [in the knee] was good. It could have been much worse - he got his foot trapped and he couldn't get away [when Udrih's] upper body hit against the outside of his knee."

Now O'Connor, in consultation with Sloan and his assistants, must determine how to

replace Kirilenko. O'Connor, the Jazz's senior vice president of basketball operations, ruled out a trade or free-agent signing. But he wouldn't commit to Radojevic or Humphries - both healthy stashes on the injured list - either.

The Jazz could decide to take a look at the 7-foot-3 Radojevic, who would at least provide some interior size on a team lacking shot-blocking skills apart from Kirilenko. One complication: The former first-round pick was in Southern California on Monday, where his girlfriend was reportedly delivering a child, Jazz spokesman Kim Turner said.

Radojevic is expected back in Utah today.

Humphries, a 6-9 rookie who has played only eight minutes this season, is also eligible to return to the active roster.

Sloan also must decide how to alter his lineup, and the coach said he was not certain yet whether that meant restoring forward Matt Harpring to his old starting spot. If it is Harpring, Sloan said, he wouldn't expect the veteran to shoulder any greater role than before.

"There's no bigger load - just play like Matt. He's been struggling; that happens to all players," Sloan said.

But the coach was wary of starting roles and playing time and who's getting shots becoming too big an issue on his team. "This could get to be a real zoo, with the stuff that goes on," he said.

The players need to decide to use Kirilenko's absence as a challenge, he said, and they seemed to agree.

Said guard Raja Bell, "We rely on Andrei to bail us out a lot, so now we'll have to dedicate ourselves even more to playing good team defense. Because just trying to play one-on-one defense wasn't getting it done."

That's the sentiment Sloan is hoping for, no matter how long Kirilenko is gone.

"These guys will be fine if they play hard. When they play hard, they're doing the right things because they're committed," he said. "When they're not committed, they're going about half-speed, they're not really sure. Sometimes it's tough to be good. That's a real job."

Notes: Curtis Borchardt and Keith McLeod didn't practice Monday, and both are questionable for tonight's game. The Jazz may let Borchardt's right foot "calm down" from the pain he felt Saturday, Briggs said.

Suns at Jazz

At the Delta Center

Tipoff: 7 p.m.

TV: None

Radio: KFNZ-AM (1320)

Records: Phoenix 11-2; Utah 8-6

Last Season: Jazz won, 3-1

All-Time: Suns lead, 70-62

At Utah: Jazz lead, 36-18

Streak: Suns, 1 win

Last Meeting: Suns 89, Jazz 84 (April 14)

Line: Suns by 3

About the Jazz: They are 4-3 at home. . . . They have won eight of their last 10 at home against Phoenix. . . . They have clinched their 16th winning record in November in the last 17 non-lockout seasons. . . . F Andrei Kirilenko is out with a sprained right knee. G Keith McLeod (groin) and C Curtis Borchardt (foot) are questionable.

About the Suns: They are 6-1 on the road, best in the NBA. Last season, they finished 11-30 away from home. . . . They have won seven straight games, and three straight on the road. They have not played since beating New Orleans on Friday.

Kirilenko File: The Numbers

* Kirilenko's 14.8 points per game average is second-best on the Jazz

* His 4.43 blocks-per-game average leads the NBA

* He's also averaging 1.43 steals and 7.20 rebounds per game