Utah Jazz: Due to sore back, Harpring will miss tonight's game against Minnesota

MINNEAPOLIS — Reserve forward Matt Harpring won't play in the Jazz's game tonight at Minnesota.

Harpring bruised his lower back and his right elbow when he was fouled by Atlanta's Josh Smith in Monday night's victory over the Hawks.

Smith was tagged with a flagrant-2 foul on the play, which resulted in his immediate ejection.

Harpring took part in today's morning shootaround, and the Jazz thought then that he'd be good to go.

But the back won't allow him to play tonight. That decision was made shortly before game time.

With Harpring out, Jazz coach Jerry Sloan said rookie big man Kosta Koufos will return to the Jazz's 12-man active roster.

Monday marked the first time this season that all 15 Jazz players were both healthy and available, but that streak now ends at one.

Sixth-man forward Andrei Kirilenko, who also fell hard on his back in Monday's game — and, like Harpring, did not practice Tuesday — will play tonight.

The Jazz take a five-game winning streak into tonight's game at the Target Center here, where the Timberwolves have lost six in a row.

E-MAIL: tbuckley@desnews.com