Utah Jazz: Harpring to join Jazz on L. A. trip

After taking Sunday off, the Utah Jazz returned to the practice floor this morning in preparation for their NBA preseason opener Tuesday night.

Not a whole lot of new news to report from the Zions Bank Basketball Center, though the Jazz confirmed that small forward Matt Harpring will join the team for the short trip to southern California.

However, Harpring isn't expected to see action against the Lakers in a game that will be played at the Honda Center in Anaheim, Calif. (8 p.m. MST, KJZZ). The Lakers, of course, eliminated the Jazz in the Western Conference semifinals last spring.

Harpring was just in that neck of the woods last week to work on conditioning and to rehab his right ankle with personal trainers in Santa Barbara, Calif. He is still trying to regain full mobility and strength, which he's lacked since his ankle took on a strep infection after an offseason surgery.

Harpring didn't participate in fall training camp in Boise, Idaho, last week, and he attended but didn't play in last Saturday's intrasquad scrimmage at EnergySolutions Arena.

The 11-year NBA veteran worked on shooting drills with assistant coaches prior to Monday morning's practice session.

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