The Utah Jazz head into Sunday’s matchup with the Minnesota Timberwolves trying to stop the skid and get back in the win column after seven straight losses. At 1-8 to open the 2026-27 season, Utah’s only victory so far came against the New Orleans Pelicans in the second game of the year.
There’s also an injury concern hanging over the Jazz. Lauri Markkanen has landed on the team’s report as questionable for the Timberwolves game because of a right wrist sprain. He has appeared in eight of Utah’s nine games to start the season, with the lone absence coming in the team’s Oct. 28 loss to the San Antonio Spurs because of the same wrist issue.
Markkanen is coming off a 24-point night in a loss to the Dallas Mavericks, and he added eight rebounds and one assist in that game. Injury problems have followed the former Arizona standout throughout his career, and over the past two seasons he has been limited to an average of only 44 games.
Even with the wrist issue, Markkanen has been a steady presence in Utah’s rotation early this year. He’s averaging a little over 30 minutes per game while putting up 18.0 points, 6.8 rebounds and 2.0 assists. His shooting splits sit at 38.9 percent from the field, 39.7 percent from 3-point range and 84.4 percent from the free-throw line.
The No. 7 overall pick in the 2017 NBA Draft is in his fifth season with the Jazz. Utah acquired him ahead of the 2022-23 season in the blockbuster trade that sent Donovan Mitchell to the Cleveland Cavaliers.
In Other News...
Svi Mykhailiuks Rough Start Is Creating A Jazz Rotation Problem
The early-season grind has already forced Will Hardy to keep tinkering with his rotation, and the Jazz have not had much margin for error while playing through injuries to key frontcourt pieces Jaren Jackson Jr. and Jusuf Nurkic. In that kind of environment, every bench spot matters a little more, and Svi Mykhailiuks uneven start has become one of the more awkward issues on a team that is already trying to find traction after opening 1-8.
Mykhailiuk was brought in to help stabilize the perimeter, but the offense has not come around and the defensive fit has been just as shaky. Utah is weighing whether to trim his minutes and lean on other options for now, a reminder that on a roster searching for answers, even one cold stretch can ripple through the rest of the rotation. [Read more 🡒]
Jazz Loss To Dallas Exposed A Problem That Keeps Dragging Them Down
The Jazzs NBA Cup loss to Dallas was another reminder that the margins are still working against them. In a 112-100 defeat, Utah let the game slip in the possession battle, with turnovers piling up and second-chance opportunities going the other way, the kind of issues that can quickly erase any offensive rhythm.
Will Hardy pointed to those same problem areas afterward, and it is not hard to see why. Utah did not generate enough extra chances, and the ball security issues kept putting the defense back under pressure, leaving the Jazz with another frustrating example of how physicality and discipline can decide a game long before the final buzzer. [Read more 🡒]
Darryn Peterson Gives Jazz Fans A Reason To Believe Again
Darryn Petersons latest outing offered a reminder of why the Jazz are paying close attention to his rookie season. In a loss to Dallas, he put together one of his more complete performances, scoring 21 points and adding impact plays across the floor as Utah continued to search for steadier footing. For a team trying to build something more durable, nights like this matter because they hint at a player who is starting to look more settled in the NBA game.
Peterson said afterward that the difference has come from feeling more comfortable with his role, and he credited coach Will Hardy for pushing him along the way. That kind of growth is exactly what the Jazz want to see from a young cornerstone, especially when the results around him are still uneven. The broader question now is whether this version of Peterson can become the kind of consistent presence Utah can lean on as the future comes into focus. [Read more 🡒]