The Utah Jazz may not be facing a long wait for Keyonte George after all.
George left Sunday night’s game against the Minnesota Timberwolves with an ankle injury that was later labeled an ankle sprain, and the Jazz already ruled him out for Tuesday’s matchup against the Miami Heat. That much is certain. What isn’t clear yet is whether this is a matter of days or weeks.
There is, at least, a little reason for optimism. A video from the Jazz’s Wednesday shootaround, shared by KSL Sports’ Chandler Holt, showed George moving around well after the injury. He was jogging up and down the floor and, just as notably, wasn’t wearing a boot or any kind of brace.
That doesn’t lock in a return date, but it does suggest the injury may not be as serious as it first looked.
No boot for Keyonte George at Jazz shootaround this morning. He looks to be moving well. pic.twitter.com/DcgjFKl6LN
Even with that encouraging sign, Utah still has a packed stretch coming up. The Jazz play four games over the next seven days, starting with the Heat on Tuesday and the Orlando Magic on Wednesday in a back-to-back at home. After that, they head to Houston to face the Rockets on Friday before returning home for Sunday’s game against the San Antonio Spurs.
So while George could be back sooner rather than later, there’s still a chance he misses more than one game depending on how quickly he recovers.
For now, Utah will have to manage without one of its emerging backcourt pieces. The guard rotation is already thin, with Darryn Peterson and Isaiah Collier the only other guards on the current roster, plus Kobe Bufkin on a two-way contract.
That means more minutes for Peterson and Collier for the time being, including Tuesday night against Miami, as the Jazz try to cover for George’s absence. Still, the early signs point to the possibility that this won’t be a prolonged stretch on the sidelines.
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