More health issues for Harpring

LOS ANGELES — On Wednesday, more serious matters take precedence.

Monday, however, Matt Harpring savored being able to do something he hasn't all season: Playing as many minutes as coach Jerry Sloan would permit.

"Now I've got to get in shape," the Jazz forward joked after logging a season-high 27 minutes and scoring a season-high 17 points in Utah's 109-93 victory over the Los Angeles Clippers.

Harpring's playing time previously had been restricted by doctor's orders to 16-to-18 minutes because of his surgically repaired right knee, which was cut on for a third time this past August.

Now the ban's been lifted.

And next Harpring turns to more-pressing health matters.

Today, he will prep; Wednesday, he'll miss practice and undergo a colonoscopy.

Harpring also will have biopsies performed on what the 31-year-old said were "a couple spots" that caught doctors' attention during prior digestive-tract testing stemming from his frequent gastrointestinal issues.

It's serious stuff, and Harpring — who has become violently ill on multiple occasions in the past year — knows it.

"Every player is probably a little on edge trying to find out what's going on (when they) don't really have an answer to it and (are) waiting for an answer," said Jazz coach Jerry Sloan, who lost his first wife, Bobbye, to cancer. "It's pretty mind-boggling, really, sometimes. I know I went through that a little bit with my wife."

"It's just in the back of your mind," added Harpring, whose wife Mandy recently gave birth to the couple's second child. "Anxiety kind of sometimes takes over when you're sitting there thinking about it, but, luckily for me, I've had a lot of going on with the baby ... so that kind of takes your mind off of things, too."

On Monday afternoon, Harpring's focus clearly was on basketball.

The backup small forward hit 7-of-10 shots from the field, and enjoyed his best game of the season — something he tied directly to increased playing time.

"Obviously," said Harpring, who played so much in part because scoreless starter Andrei Kirilenko was struggling, "when you get more minutes you start getting into the rhythm of the game."

Teammates took notice but hardly seemed surprised.

"We know what to expect out of Matt," point guard Deron Williams said. "He's a banger. He gets down there and mixes it up down low, punishes guys. He makes teams defend, because of how hard he cuts and comes off screens."

"He's a big part of our offense," power forward Carlos Boozer added, "especially off the bench — because it's hard for people to guard him, because he can not only shoot the 17-footer, but he'll go inside and post up as well."