The Jazz will enter Saturday’s home game against the Trail Blazers trying to stop a three-game skid, and the injury report is still doing plenty of the talking.
Utah’s biggest question mark is Lauri Markkanen, who is listed as questionable with a right wrist sprain. He picked up the injury in the same Memphis Grizzlies game that also sent Jaren Jackson Jr. into a lengthy recovery after suffering a torn MCL. If Markkanen can suit up, that gives the Jazz the kind of scoring punch they badly need, with the chance to help open things up for Keyonte George and Darryn Peterson in the backcourt.
If Markkanen can’t play, Josh Green would likely be in line to start again in the frontcourt. He filled that role in Utah’s last game against the San Antonio Spurs, logging 24 minutes and finishing with two points, two rebounds, two assists, a steal and a block.
Utah’s frontcourt picture is still thin for more than one reason. Jackson Jr. remains out with the right knee injury that has already put him on a six-plus week recovery timeline, while Jusuf Nurkic is also sidelined because of a right foot injury, a second plantar plate tear suffered in preseason. The Jazz did get one positive update, though: Jaxson Hayes no longer carries the shoulder injury designation and is available unless something changes.
Portland comes in with injury issues of its own. Ja Morant is out with a left hamstring strain and is expected to miss multiple weeks, taking him out of Saturday’s matchup. Shaedon Sharpe remains out with a right meniscus injury as well.
The Blazers may also be missing Robert Williams III, who is questionable with left knee injury management. In his three games this season, he has averaged 9.7 points and 8.7 rebounds while shooting better than 76% from the field. Against a Jazz team already expected to be short on size and rebounding, that could matter.
Chris Youngblood is also listed as questionable with left ankle soreness, while Jayson Kent and John Tonje are out on G League two-way assignments.
Tip-off is set for 1 p.m. MT on Saturday, and Utah’s status on Markkanen will be one of the key developments to watch as game time gets closer.
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A slow start has already put the Jazz in an uncomfortable spot, and the ripple effects go beyond the standings. Utah is 1-4 and dealing with injuries to key players like Jaren Jackson Jr., which has only made the opening stretch harder to navigate as the team tries to stay afloat early in the season.
What makes the situation more delicate is the draft-pick obligation tied to the Jaren Jackson Jr. trade, a condition that could become a real factor if Utah keeps sliding. The Jazz are watching a pick situation that depends on how their own draft position stacks up against Minnesotas and Clevelands, and the leagues new lottery setup adds another layer of frustration to a season already trending the wrong way. [Read more 🡒]
Blazers Fans Have Another Robert Williams Concern To Watch
Rookie guard Darryn Peterson gave the Jazz a needed spark in the loss to San Antonio, scoring 18 points in 26 minutes before watching the closing stretch from the sideline. Utah had a chance to lean on the first-rounder down the stretch, but head coach Will Hardy went another direction as the game tightened, turning to reserve wing Brice Sensabaugh for the late possessions instead.
Hardys choice added another layer to a night that already featured plenty of moving parts around the league, from Nikola Jokics 200th regular-season triple-double to Ja Morant leaving early with a left hamstring injury. For Utah, the bigger takeaway was how the final minutes were handled, and whether Petersons strong showing will translate into a larger role the next time the Jazz find themselves in a similar spot. [Read more 🡒]
Darryn Peterson Has A Real Chance As Jazz Wait For More
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Petersons numbers show a player already contributing in a meaningful way, even if the efficiency still has room to rise. He is getting more chances with injuries thinning the rotation, and that added runway matters for a team trying to sort out what it has in a young guard. A league source echoed the same message the Jazz are sending internally: patience is part of the plan, but so is continued aggression, because the opportunity in front of Peterson is bigger now than it was a few weeks ago. [Read more 🡒]