SALT LAKE CITY — The Jazz practiced Sunday, only about 24 hours before they'll head to Portland for their first regular-season game Tuesday. Media had the opportunity to speak with Boris Diaw and head coach Quin Snyder.

Derrick Favors back to practice

Derrick Favors officially participated in practice Sunday for the first time since being first held out of practice Oct. 7. It wasn't full participation, however. He didn't participate in any full-contact drills.

Still, it's a promising sign for his impending return. It's possible that he plays Tuesday in the opener, but maybe more likely that the Jazz take advantage of the break and wait a few more days, breaking him in against an easier opponent at home against the Los Angeles Lakers Friday.

Snyder said it's possible Favors will need some acclimation time after his return.

"I think we saw it with Rodney (Hood, who also was returning from a short break away due to a left hand sprain) the other night. There's the tactical component, as in you don't know where you're going," Snyder said. "And there's an instinctive level of understanding that you can't achieve, even in practice."

Gordon Hayward (broken finger) and Alec Burks (rehabilitation) didn't participate in practice as expected. In addition, Joe Johnson was held out of practice to rest. Diaw did practice after missing a couple of days due to his leg contusion.

Chris Johnson waived

Johnson was waived Sunday, bringing the Jazz's roster size down to the required 15 players. Everyone seems actually very disappointed — though understanding — that Johnson had to be waived, including a nice tweet from Rudy Gobert Saturday and Dante Exum calling him the hardest-working teammate he's been around.

Snyder, who wasn't at practice Saturday, had the chance to comment Sunday.

"You want to go adjust the CBA, go to the owners meeting for a guy like that because he's such a quality player," Snyder said. "He's one of the guys that you're grateful to 10 years from now because of the foundation that he helped you lay."

But it may not be the end of Johnson in a Jazz uniform.

"That's not to close the door on anything eve. We had to waive him a year ago and ended up picking him back up," Snyder pointed out. "You never know."

First game excitement

Even for a veteran like Diaw, the first game of the season still means something.

"That first game is cool, it is some special excitement. And then the games set in, and there's an 82-game season," Diaw said. "The first game is a little different."

My sense is that, while the injuries have dampened things a little bit, this team is excited to show what it can do in the Western Conference. The quality of scrimmages in training camp was higher than in years past for some of these Jazz veterans, and the team wants to show that against real NBA opponents in real, meaningful NBA games.

Exum, who we spoke to Saturday, has probably been anticipating this moment for the longest. He still brightens every time he's asked about his return, even though he's been asked dozens of times. Finally, he'll be able to show off what he can do against the game's elite.

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