SALT LAKE CITY — After today's shootaround session, Devin Harris said he's looking forward to being introduced to the Utah Jazz-Denver Nuggets rivalry.
Fellow New Jersey transplant Derrick Favors will have to wait until the regular season finale to get his first taste.
Favors was sent home from shootaround early because the 19-year-old is suffering from a cold. The rookie big man, who has averaged 8.3 points, three rebounds and just under 16 minutes in three outings with Utah, hoped to play in the 8:30 p.m. TNT-televised contest, but left the arena after it was determined he was too sick to play.
The Jazz will also be without backup guard Ronnie Price, whose sprained right big toe continues to bother him. Earlier this afternoon, Price underwent an MRI on the toe, which sidelined him for five games last month.
The team physician, Dr. Lyle Mason, confirmed that Price has a sprained toe after reviewing the test.
It was also determined that Price will sit out both tonight's game and likely Saturday's against Sacramento.
The Utah Valley product will travel with the team on its four-game road trip next week.
As for Harris, the seventh-year veteran said he continues to feel more comfortable with the team that he joined a week ago after being traded from the Nets in exchange for Deron Williams.
Having a couple of days to practice with his new teammates has been helpful. He played the first three games with the Jazz after going through just one practice following the trade.
"It's been good," Harris said. "It's allowed me to open up the offense a little bit more, get a couple more plays, just continue to run through the defensive stuff and try to get a grasp on that and continue to jell with these guys."
Harris said the team has introduced a few more plays, but they've mostly been focusing on what reads to make and how to get guys open within the Jazz's system.
Asked about the new-look Nuggets, who've gone 4-1 since shipping Carmelo Anthony and Chauncey Billups to New York, Harris said they have been effective in spreading things out.
Harris, who has a 1-2 record with Utah, also credits playmakers Raymond Felton and Ty Lawson for getting Denver off and running.
"They speed up the game a lot more," he said, "especially with those two quick point guards that they have."
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