Bad weather has upset travel plans

Last Wednesday night, the Jazz's scheduled game against Memphis was postponed because the Grizzlies were snow-bound in Portland.

Last Friday night, fog prevented the Jazz from flying into Salt Lake City following their game at Denver — and they wound up spending the night there before returning Saturday, about eight hours before playing host to Atlanta.

This time, it was the Golden State Warriors' turn for delay.

The Warriors could not fly into Utah after their Monday night home game against Memphis, again because of heavy fog and inverted smog in the Salt Lake Valley.

Golden State wound up arriving about noon on Tuesday — roughly seven hours before tipoff for their 97-80 loss to the Jazz on Tuesday night at the Delta Center.

"We play a lot of basketball games, and you never know what's going to happen with the travel schedule," Warriors big man Clifford Robinson said. "But, with whatever, you have to find a way to get yourself ready to play."

Golden State, coming off a double-overtime loss to Memphis and down 23-10 to Utah after one quarter, obviously did not.

"Maybe guys were tired, maybe guys were emotionally drained," Robinson said. "I don't know."

Still no new date, by the way, for the postponed Utah-Memphis game.

The teams have been haggling over scheduling issues, including one possible date in which the Harlem Globetrotters already are booked into the Delta Center.

HARPRING SURGERY: Out-for-the-season Jazz forward Matt Harpring's knee surgery will be performed by Dr. Richard Steadman on Friday at the Steadman Clinic in Vail., Colo., the Jazz announced Tuesday. Harpring had said he would miss about three months, but now the Jazz are putting his timetable for being out at three-to-six months.

MISC.: Jazz forward Andrei Kirilenko tied a career high for assists with a game-high seven . . . . . . Center Greg Ostertag blocked one shot, leaving him four shy of passing Karl Malone for second place behind Mark Eaton on the Jazz's all-time blocked shots list . . . Jazz reserve guard Mo Williams, who did not practice Monday due to a slight ankle sprain, dressed but did not play Tuesday . . . The Warriors were without forward Troy Murphy, who is out four-to-six weeks with a deep bone bruise on his right ankle . . . Calbert Cheaney, the Jazz's starting shooting guard last season, scored two points on 1-of-6 shooting from the field in 20 minutes for Golden State.

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E-mail: tbuckley@desnews.com