The Jazz got a boost on Saturday morning: Lauri Markkanen was upgraded from questionable to available for today’s matinee against Portland, according to the team.
Markkanen had been out since spraining his right wrist in the first quarter of Monday’s loss to Memphis, a game he couldn’t finish. He also sat out Wednesday’s overtime loss to San Antonio.
Utah has been juggling injuries all fall. Starting center Jusuf Nurkic is still sidelined with a toe issue, and big man Jaren Jackson Jr. is expected to miss six-to-eight weeks after tearing the MCL in his right knee.
There’s also been a slow-burn storyline around Darryn Peterson, the No. 2 pick in this year’s draft. In his first five NBA games, the Jazz guard has said he’s been too “indecisive,” and Shreyas Laddha of The Salt Lake Tribune reported that Utah wants him to play with more force. Peterson, 19, is shooting 34.9% from the field so far, but the organization isn’t sounding alarmed.
“ He is a team player and wants to win,” head coach Will Hardy said. “ He is just caught a little in between.
I see him coming off some ball screens, and he’s looking for his teammates, and in those moments he is the one that’s open. This is all very normal.
… He’s getting thrown right into the fire and I think he’s handling himself great. I don’t want him to over worry about past possessions.
We’ve had a few moments where he looks over, and he’s like, ‘My bad.’ We don’t need to do that right now.
… I recognize he’s dealing with a lot. It’s a lot happening.
It’s a new team, new coach, new terminology and play calls. On top of the fact that he’s a rookie in the NBA.
“
In Portland, Oregon senator Ron Wyden said he has already spoken with Heat owner and new Board of Governors chairman Micky Arison about keeping the Trail Blazers in the city, according to Bill Oram of The Oregonian. Wyden had previously said he planned to contact other owners as part of an effort to push Blazers owner Tom Dundon toward a deal to renovate the Moda Center and keep the team in Portland.
And in Denver, Christian Braun turned in a career night Friday against Phoenix. The Nuggets wing posted new highs with 31 points and seven made three-pointers, while also helping hold Devin Booker to 20 points on 19 field goal attempts. Braun entered the game having made just 5 of 21 shots from deep, but he said the shooting outburst has to become more than a one-night spike.
“ Me hitting seven (threes) is a welcome sight for the offense,” said Braun, who was 5-of-21 from long distance entering the game. “ I’ve got to do it more consistently.
I’ve got to do it more, do it better. Obviously, today was a good day, but we’ve got to do it again on Monday.”
In Other News...
Deni Avdija Is Giving Blazers Fans A Real Rotation Debate
The Blazers 112-90 win in Utah gave them their third road victory of the season, but it also added another layer to a rotation that is starting to feel crowded in the best possible way. With Scoot Henderson getting the start in place of the injured Ja Morant and the staff managing minutes for veterans Jrue Holiday and Damian Lillard, Portland still found plenty of production from Deni Avdija, who led the team with 24 points while staying active on the defensive end.
Avdijas all-around impact was impossible to miss in a game where Portland forced 20 turnovers and held the Jazz to 37 percent shooting. For a team trying to balance development, veteran usage and night-to-night consistency, performances like this are creating a real conversation about where Avdija fits when everyone is available, and whether his current role is big enough for what hes showing. [Read more 🡒]