Andrei Kirilenko

It's not that Utah Jazz forward Andrei Kirilenko didn't already have a good life. He's one of the most underrated players in the NBA, a stat-filling machine (15 points, 8 rebounds, 2.92 blocks per game entering play on Friday) who would certainly be an all-star if he didn't play for a .500 team based in Salt Lake City. He's got a contract (six years, $86 million) befitting his status as one of the league's premier talents and best defensive players. And at 25, he's part of a bright future in Utah.

Rookie Aleksandar Pavlovic scored 17 points in 18 minutes to lead host Utah to an 87-86 preseason win over the 76ers last night. Pavlovic, who was 6-for-7 from the field, made a layup with 16 seconds left on a pass from Andrei Kirilenko to give Utah an 85-84 lead. Ex-Sixer Raja Bell then added two free throws with 5 seconds left to increase the Jazz lead to 87-84. Marc Jackson led the Sixers with 17 points and nine rebounds. Derrick Coleman made his preseason debut and had 13 points and seven rebounds in 25 minutes.

The first quality victory of the Mike D'Antoni era came the way the New York Knicks used to win games: with defense. Jamal Crawford scored 32 points, and the Knicks toughened up defensively in the second half to end the Utah Jazz' undefeated start with a 107-99 victory yesterday. Zach Randolph had 25 points and 14 rebounds for the Knicks (4-2), who moved two games over .500 for the first time since they were 16-14 on Jan. 1, 2005. Chris Duhon added 16 points, nine assists and five rebounds in a strong all-around game.

Last night wasn't quite what the 76ers had in mind. They were hoping for something they rarely have done this season: play well. The NBA schedule provided a natural break, four days between games, four days to breathe before the start of this trip. In that time, the Sixers were hoping they had crossed a bridge away from the disaster that was the first third of the season and toward something better. It didn't happen last night. Last night, the losing continued. At a sold-out EnergySolutions Arena, the Utah Jazz defeated the Sixers, 97-76.

Matt Harpring, who spent last season with the 76ers, signed a 4-year, $18.5 million deal yesterday with the Utah Jazz. Harpring is expected to earn $4 million next season, eroding most of Utah's $4.5 million midlevel salary exception. He could have earned more money elsewhere, most likely with the Chicago Bulls, but he sees himself as a blue-collar player who fits alongside John Stockton, Karl Malone and Utah coach Jerry Sloan. "I just see the Jazz as a better basketball place than Chicago," Harpring said.

Off to a hot start, the Utah Jazz is settling some scores. Deron Williams had 26 points and 14 assists, Carlos Boozer added 24 points and 14 rebounds, and the visiting Jazz beat the Boston Celtics for the first time in nearly 3 years with a 107-100 victory last night. Mehmet Okur added 23 points for the 5-1 Jazz, which snapped a four-game losing streak to the Celtics. Utah was swept by Boston the past two seasons by an average of 11.8 points and last beat the Celtics on Dec. 19, 2003.

CLEVELAND - LeBron James now has one statistic that was missing from his early NBA resume. James got his first victory as a pro last night when Darius Miles and Ricky Davis scored 26 points each to lead the Cleveland Cavaliers to a 111-98 win over the Washington Wizards. Davis scored 23 points in the second half, and the Cavaliers used a 13-2 burst midway through the fourth quarter to separate themselves from the Wizards. James collected 17 points, nine assists and eight rebounds for the Cavs, who had started the season 0-5 and looked listless while losing their home opener to Denver on Wednesday.

BOSTON - Paul Pierce scored 36 points and grabbed 13 rebounds while Mike James added a career-high 24 points to lead the Boston Celtics to their third straight victory, 126-112, over the Seattle SuperSonics last night. The 126 points were a season-high for Boston, which beat its third straight Western Conference opponent after road wins against Denver and Utah. Seattle trailed by 99-68 to start the fourth quarter but went on a 25-4 run to pull to 103-93 with six minutes remaining.

Andrei Kirilenko watched John Stockton's last-second shot sail toward the basket and immediately recognized it would be an airball. Kirilenko timed his leap perfectly and tipped in Stockton's miss just before the final buzzer sounded, giving Utah a 91-90 victory over host New Jersey yesterday. "It was airball for sure," Kirilenko said. "It was bad. " His tip, however, was good, allowing Utah to snap a three-game losing streak. The Nets haven't beaten the Jazz at the Meadowlands since 1994, when their starting lineup included Benoit Benjamin, Armon Gilliam, P.J. Brown, Kenny Anderson and Kevin Edwards.

Andrei Kirilenko blocked Kobe Bryant twice in overtime and converted a three-point play with 35 seconds remaining as the Utah Jazz beat the visiting Los Angeles Lakers yesterday, 123-115, tying the Western Conference semifinal series at 2-2. Utah's Deron Williams had 29 points and 14 assists, while Carlos Boozer scored 12 of his 14 points in the second half and grabbed 12 rebounds. Mehmet Okur added 18 points and 11 rebounds, and Kirilenko finished with 15 points and five blocks, stuffing Bryant twice as the Lakers tried to rally in overtime.

Last night wasn't quite what the 76ers had in mind. They were hoping for something they rarely have done this season: play well. The NBA schedule provided a natural break, four days between games, four days to breathe before the start of this trip. In that time, the Sixers were hoping they had crossed a bridge away from the disaster that was the first third of the season and toward something better. It didn't happen last night. Last night, the losing continued. At a sold-out EnergySolutions Arena, the Utah Jazz defeated the Sixers, 97-76.

THEIR CAPTAIN, All-Star point guard Deron Williams, had left the team earlier in the day for what was described as personal reasons. In his place was point guard Eric Maynor, the 10th overall pick in this year's draft. It was Maynor's first start, necessitated by the sprained left big toe of backup point guard Ronnie Price. Maynor's running mate in the backcourt last night was fellow rookie Wesley Matthews, who went undrafted out of Marquette. The Utah Jazz was hurt, shorthanded and in disarray as it limped into Philadelphia following a blowout loss in Boston on Wednesday night.

The first quality victory of the Mike D'Antoni era came the way the New York Knicks used to win games: with defense. Jamal Crawford scored 32 points, and the Knicks toughened up defensively in the second half to end the Utah Jazz' undefeated start with a 107-99 victory yesterday. Zach Randolph had 25 points and 14 rebounds for the Knicks (4-2), who moved two games over .500 for the first time since they were 16-14 on Jan. 1, 2005. Chris Duhon added 16 points, nine assists and five rebounds in a strong all-around game.

Andrei Kirilenko blocked Kobe Bryant twice in overtime and converted a three-point play with 35 seconds remaining as the Utah Jazz beat the visiting Los Angeles Lakers yesterday, 123-115, tying the Western Conference semifinal series at 2-2. Utah's Deron Williams had 29 points and 14 assists, while Carlos Boozer scored 12 of his 14 points in the second half and grabbed 12 rebounds. Mehmet Okur added 18 points and 11 rebounds, and Kirilenko finished with 15 points and five blocks, stuffing Bryant twice as the Lakers tried to rally in overtime.

Off to a hot start, the Utah Jazz is settling some scores. Deron Williams had 26 points and 14 assists, Carlos Boozer added 24 points and 14 rebounds, and the visiting Jazz beat the Boston Celtics for the first time in nearly 3 years with a 107-100 victory last night. Mehmet Okur added 23 points for the 5-1 Jazz, which snapped a four-game losing streak to the Celtics. Utah was swept by Boston the past two seasons by an average of 11.8 points and last beat the Celtics on Dec. 19, 2003.

It's not that Utah Jazz forward Andrei Kirilenko didn't already have a good life. He's one of the most underrated players in the NBA, a stat-filling machine (15 points, 8 rebounds, 2.92 blocks per game entering play on Friday) who would certainly be an all-star if he didn't play for a .500 team based in Salt Lake City. He's got a contract (six years, $86 million) befitting his status as one of the league's premier talents and best defensive players. And at 25, he's part of a bright future in Utah.

If the 76ers compiled a list of New Year's resolutions on their flight out of this city, it would contain several items familiar to their suffering fans. The Sixers closed out 2005 in familiar fashion last night - an inability to make stops down the stretch, a late lead squandered, an opponent administering a beating on the boards. They led by seven points with three minutes to play, were outscored by 16-3 down the stretch, and lost, 108-102, to Utah in front of a festive crowd of 19,911 - the Jazz's first sellout of the season - at the Delta Center.

BOSTON - Paul Pierce scored 36 points and grabbed 13 rebounds while Mike James added a career-high 24 points to lead the Boston Celtics to their third straight victory, 126-112, over the Seattle SuperSonics last night. The 126 points were a season-high for Boston, which beat its third straight Western Conference opponent after road wins against Denver and Utah. Seattle trailed by 99-68 to start the fourth quarter but went on a 25-4 run to pull to 103-93 with six minutes remaining.

CLEVELAND - LeBron James now has one statistic that was missing from his early NBA resume. James got his first victory as a pro last night when Darius Miles and Ricky Davis scored 26 points each to lead the Cleveland Cavaliers to a 111-98 win over the Washington Wizards. Davis scored 23 points in the second half, and the Cavaliers used a 13-2 burst midway through the fourth quarter to separate themselves from the Wizards. James collected 17 points, nine assists and eight rebounds for the Cavs, who had started the season 0-5 and looked listless while losing their home opener to Denver on Wednesday.

Rookie Aleksandar Pavlovic scored 17 points in 18 minutes to lead host Utah to an 87-86 preseason win over the 76ers last night. Pavlovic, who was 6-for-7 from the field, made a layup with 16 seconds left on a pass from Andrei Kirilenko to give Utah an 85-84 lead. Ex-Sixer Raja Bell then added two free throws with 5 seconds left to increase the Jazz lead to 87-84. Marc Jackson led the Sixers with 17 points and nine rebounds. Derrick Coleman made his preseason debut and had 13 points and seven rebounds in 25 minutes.