SALT LAKE CITY (AP) -Utah Jazz forward Andrei Kirilenko missed practice Thursday because of a travel visa, a day before Utah faced the Los Angeles Lakers in Game 6 of the Western Conference semifinals.

Agent Marc Fleisher said Kirilenko had to finalize a travel visa for a family trip to France this summer and Thursday was the only day he could do it without having to wait another month. Fleisher said Kirilenko, who is a Russian citizen, told the Jazz ahead of time about the conflict and was given permission to miss practice.

The Jazz said only that Kirilenko was dealing with a visa issue and was expected to play in Game 6 Friday night in the Western Conference semifinals.

The Jazz returned to Utah early Thursday after a 111-104 loss in Los Angeles, putting the Lakers up 3-2 in the series.Copyright © 2005 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. The information contained in the AP News report may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without the prior written authority of The Associated Press.