The Utah Jazz’s final preseason injury report brought one clear bit of good news: Kyle Filipowski is officially in line to make his season debut Friday night against the Phoenix Suns.
Filipowski had been a regular presence on the injury report in recent weeks, but he’s not listed among the Jazz’s absences for the final preseason matchup. That marks his return after missing the first three preseason games with a back injury.
Utah head coach Will Hardy said earlier in the week that Filipowski was trending in the right direction, though he stopped short of putting a firm timetable on the big man’s comeback.
"Yeah, he's progressing well," Hardy said. "We're hopeful that he's back with us soon. I know 'soon' is an arbitrary word, but he's going through all the necessary steps to get back on the court.
"I know he's very antsy to get back. It's been a long summer of rehab, and the hope is that he'll be back out there soon."
Filipowski underwent back surgery at the start of the offseason to repair a herniated disc, and the recovery process has kept him sidelined for months. He also said during his media day presser that he had been playing through pain for much of last season because of the injury.
Last season, Filipowski appeared in 77 games and averaged 11.4 points, 7.2 rebounds and 2.6 assists while shooting 49.2% from the field and 32.5% from three.
Utah will still be without a few other names. Trey Alexander is out with a left knee issue, Blake Hinson will miss another preseason game because of a left hamstring injury, and Jusuf Nurkić remains sidelined with a right foot injury after missing the second preseason game.
The Suns also have two players listed on their report: Luke Kennard is out with a left knee tendon strain, and Oso Ighodaro is dealing with hip soreness.
The Jazz and Suns are set to close out preseason play at 8 p.m. MT at the Mortgage Matchup Center in Phoenix, Arizona.
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