Michael Black of the Deseret News reports:
 |
It didn’t take long Saturday night for Andrei Kirilenko to make his long-awaited return to the lineup during Game 3 of the Jazz’s playoff series against the Lakers.
With 6:54 left in the first quarter, Kirilenko checked into the game to a rousing standing ovation from the EnergySolutions Arena crowd. It was the first time back on the court for him in nearly two months due to a strained left calf muscle that was injured in three separate places. He had missed 23 of Utah’s last 25 games, but by the crowd’s response, absence only made the heart grow fonder.
“I have a long, long relationship with our fans. We have always been very close,” Kirilenko said. “I missed those two months, so I was pretty happy to just be back and start playing again.”
