SAN ANTONIO — First time the Jazz played San Antonio this season, and won, the Spurs were missing then-injured shooting guard Manu Ginobili.
Not so Thursday night, and this time — make no mistake — his presence was felt.
"They're definitely a different team with Ginobili in there," Jazz point guard Deron Williams said after San Antonio beat Utah 106-83 behind 22 points from Tony Parker, 20 by Tim Duncan and another 12 from Ginobili. "They're a better team, because he's a great player. We knew that going in."
Ginobili only made 4-of-12 shots from the field, and missed three of his four 3-point attempts.
But his mere presence and shot-making ability, Jazz coach Jerry Sloan suggested, prevented the Jazz from offering Williams better help on Parker, who attacked the basket with ease.
For that very reason, Sloan brushed off the meaning of Utah's late-November win over the Spurs.
"They weren't at full strength when we played that," he said.
HARPRING MISSED: The Jazz played for a second-straight time without reserve forward Matt Harpring, who remained in Utah fighting a stomach virus.
"We really miss Matt Harpring," Jazz guard Derek Fisher said. "He brings us an intensity and a toughness that, particularly against a team like the Spurs, we really need."
It's uncertain if Harpring will be available when the Jazz play next, Saturday at home vs. Portland.
Jazz forward Andrei Kirilenko, meanwhile, played Thursday despite taking an elbow to the face that caused him to make an early exit from last Tuesday's win over the Los Angeles Clippers.
RUSSELL RETURNING: In an effort to resurrect his NBA career, longtime Jazz swingman and 12-year NBA veteran Bryon Russell — a member of Utah's 1998 and 1999 NBA Finals teams — has joined the ABA's minor-league Hollywood (Calif.) Fame.
"It's a credit to our players and the Fame organization to attract a player like Russell, who has thoughts of going back to the NBA," said Fame coach Don Casey, who coached the Los Angeles Clippers in the late 1980s and the New Jersey Nets in the late '90s. "He's jumped right in and is truly part of the team.
"We are using his expertise to positively impact the team, and he gives the organization credibility," Casey added in a statement posted on the team's Web site. "It will bring attention to us, and opportunity for our players to be seen by European and NBA scouts."
The Fame are co-owned by former Major League Baseball All-Star Brady Anderson, who is serving as Russell's trainer in his bid to return to the NBA.
"Bryon Russell is a great shooter and always will be. He's also known as a good defender," Anderson said. "Playing for the Fame will get him back
in basketball shape."
MISC.: Williams is not among the Western Conference's top-10 guards, Carlos Boozer ranks just ninth among Western Conference forwards and Mehmet Okur is fourth among centers in the league's latest update of partial fan balloting results for the upcoming NBA All-Star Game ... Ex-Jazz center and 2005 second-round draft choice Robert Whaley is playing in his native Michigan for the ABA's Twin City Ballers, and hoopsworld.com reported this week that ex-Jazz guard Milt Palacio — cut by Seattle in the preseason — is close to signing with an Italian team, Air Avellino. ... With Harpring out, both C.J. Miles and Rafael Araujo played for the Jazz. ... San Antonio was without usual starting center Francisco Elson, who has a slight rotator-cuff tear that will keep him out at least a couple weeks. ... Ex-Jazz point Jacque Vaughn, over a stomach virus that recently worked its way through the San Antonio roster, played 19 minutes Thursday and scored a season-high seven points. ... Steve Brown called play-by-play Thursday because usual Jazz TV announcer Craig Bolerjack is calling today's Sun Bowl for CBS. ... Sloan, on the Jazz's now 15-game losing streak in San Antonio: "If guys are worried about that, then I don't know how you can even play at all."
E-mail: tbuckley@desnews.com