Injured Lopez insists he'll be back next year

A familiar face dropped by the Delta Center for the Jazz's final home game of the season, a Monday-night win over Sacramento.

Injured point guard Raul Lopez is back from his native Spain, still on crutches after undergoing surgery and rehabbing his left knee due to an injury sustained back on Feb. 23.

"I'm working again, getting healthy to being a basketball player again," Lopez said.

The usual Jazz backup point suggested he definitely will back next season, despite this most-recent surgery and two reconstructive surgeries on his right knee.

"I don't have any doubt in my mind right now," he said, "about being a good basketball player again."

Lopez, however, said he still isn't sure if he will be able to play for Spain — if asked — in next September's European Championships.

"We'll see what happens," he said.

LIMPING HOME: The Jazz played again without both guard Raja Bell (shin/foot) and center Curtis Borchardt (knee).

Injured-list power forward Carlos Boozer also was absent.

Boozer is in Los Angeles for yet another follow-up on his strained right foot, and to determine if offseason surgery might be needed.

BEEN THERE: According to The Oregonian newspaper in Portland on Monday, Ruben Patterson of the Trail Blazers told Jazz forward Matt Harpring: "I'm going to see you on the loading dock after the game" following their first-half fight Sunday on the floor for a loose ball.

Harpring was surprised to learn that Monday.

"I didn't hear it," said the co-captain, adding he merely tried to tune out everything Patterson was saying to avoid picking up a technical foul.

Earlier this month, Jazz guard Kirk Snyder was suspended one game by the NBA for a postgame fight with Jerry Stackhouse of the Dallas Mavericks in the loading-dock/bus-parking area of American Airlines Center.

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E-mail: tbuckley@desnews.com