The Utah Jazz head into San Antonio trying to stop a four-game slide, and the injury report gives a clearer picture of what they’ll be working with as this road trip gets underway.
Utah is still without Jaren Jackson, who continues to rehab a torn MCL, and Jusuf Nurkic remains sidelined after the preseason foot injury he suffered back in September. With the recovery window now around four weeks for Nurkic, the Jazz have to be getting closer to having their veteran big man back, which would be a significant boost for the group.
For now, though, Utah’s frontcourt is still short-handed. Jaxson Hayes is expected to keep handling the starting center spot, while Josh Green should remain in the starting five on the wing as the Jazz look for more three-point shooting and perimeter defense.
There is one interesting wrinkle on Utah’s report: Kobe Bufkin has been listed as questionable, but not because of an injury. That opens the door for the Jazz to potentially elevate him on a two-way basis for this game, which would give them a little more depth in the backcourt behind Keyonte George, Darryn Peterson, and Isaiah Collier.
San Antonio’s report is lighter, but it does include two notable absences. First-round pick Jayden Quaintaince is still out as he continues recovering from the knee surgery that has kept him sidelined since the start of the season. The Spurs will also be without Tobias Harris, a frontcourt piece who gives them a real offensive lift.
That leaves more of the load on San Antonio’s core of Victor Wembanyama, Stephon Castle, Dylan Harper, and De’Aaron Fox.
The Jazz already saw this matchup once this season, and their overtime effort in that game gives them at least some reason to believe they can make this one competitive. Still, it’s a difficult assignment on the road, and Utah is trying to use this trip to finally shake loose from its early-season skid.
Tip-off is set for 6:30 MT at the Frost Bank Center.
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The early weeks have not gone the way the Jazz imagined, and the latest setback only deepened the concern around a team trying to find its footing. Utah fell to the Spurs and opened the season with a 1-6 record, a start that sits near the bottom of the franchises history. Injuries to key players have made the climb steeper, while the on-court execution has been uneven enough to leave the Jazz searching for answers on both ends.
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Jazz Cannot Let This Start Force A Lauri Panic Move
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That is why a panic move would be so risky. Trading Markkanen now would not automatically solve Utahs problems, and it could easily strip away one of the few established pieces the front office can still build around. The Jazz need better play across the board, not a rushed decision driven by a bad week or two, and keeping Markkanen in place still looks like the more sensible path for a team that is trying to find its footing. [Read more 🡒]