Utah Jazz: Williams will miss fourth straight game tonight

Jazz point guard Deron Williams will miss his fourth straight game when Utah plays host tonight to the Portland Trail Blazers.

Williams has been out since spraining his left ankle in an Oct. 18 preseason game at Chicago, and today he said the ankle isn't doing any better.

"I just keep rehabbing, taking it day-to-day," Williams said after the Jazz's shootaround this morning. "That's all I can do."

Williams suggested the 3-0 Jazz's successful start to the 2008-09 NBA season has made his prolonged absence somewhat more bearable.

"It's easier for me not to rush back when we're 3-0 as opposed to ... 1-2, or something like that," he said. "You know, we've been playing great without me, and hopefully we keep that up."

Even if he had to, Williams said, he wouldn't be able to play tonight anyway.

And he may not be ready to go until sometime next week, when the Jazz — who also play Oklahoma City at home on Friday night — open a five-game road trip Sunday at New York.

Williams hasn't had any setbacks, but the ankle isn't progressing either.

"Just sore, just hurting a little bit," he said. "My ankle's weak."

Also tonight, veteran forward Matt Harpring (ankle rehab) will be out for a fourth straight game as well and reserve big man Jarron Collins (bruised elbow/triceps tendinitis) will be a game-time decision.

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E-mail: tbuckley@desnews.com