The two starters up in the air for the Jazz against Miami are their pairing of Markkanen and Nurkic, with Markkanen questionable to finally return from his extended injury/conditioning absence, while …
The Utah Jazz could be without a pair of starters in their frontcourt for their upcoming matchup against the Miami Heat.
Here’s the full injury outlook for both the Jazz and Heat rolling into the matchup:
Utah Jazz Injury Report
OUT – G Elijah Harkless (G League)
OUT – C Walker Kessler (left shoulder; injury recovery)
OUT – C Kevin Love (left knee contusion)
OUT – F Georges Niang (left foot; fourth metatarsal stress reaction)
OUT – F John Tonje (G League)
OUT – C Oscar Tshiebwe (G League)
DOUBTFUL – C Jusuf Nurkic (illness)
QUESTIONABLE – F Lauri Markkanen (return to competition reconditioning)
The two starters up in the air for the Jazz against Miami are their pairing of Markkanen and Nurkic, with Markkanen questionable to finally return from his extended injury/conditioning absence, while Nurkic is doubtful to play with an illness.
Markkanen has been out for the past six games of the Jazz’s season, mostly due to a lingering illness that reports seem to indicate is a genuine sickness, rather than simply a way to keep their star forward out due to big-picture tanking reasons.
If able to return to the lineup, Markkanen obviously becomes a huge addition offensively as a welcomed helping hand for third-year guard Keyonte George. In Markkanen’s 33 games this season, he’s averaged an impressive 27.9 points, 7.2 rebounds, and 1.9 assists while shooting 48.3% from the field and 36.5% from three.
However, it seems as if that illness taking course around the locker room has now struck Nurkic as its latest victim, and could leave the Jazz without their typical starting center, who comes off an impressive two-game slate with back-to-back triple-doubles, being the only player in Utah’s history to have back-to-back triple-doubles since Pete Maravich in 1975.
In the event the Jazz are indeed without Nurkic in the middle, that’ll leave them without their starter and backup at the five, as Kevin Love remains inactive due to rest and will require head coach Will Hardy to get a bit more creative on how he wants to roll out his frontcourt. Expect Kyle Filipowski to be the potential starter in place of Nurkic if downgraded to out.
The Jazz will also be without their three two-way signees per usual, but if Nurkic is indeed downgraded, it might not be too shocking to see Oscar Tshiebwe elevated before game time in order to provide Utah with some extra frontcourt depth and some rebounding upside, if necessary.
Miami Heat Injury Report
QUESTIONABLE – G Norman Powell (back)
QUESTIONABLE – G Davion Mitchell (shoulder)
OUT – C Kel’el Ware (hamstring)
PROBABLE – G Pelle Larsson (finger)
For the Heat, a few names of note are in the mix, headlined by Norman Powell, who’s slated as questionable with a back injury, as is Davion Mitchell with a shoulder injury––both big pieces of Miami’s game plan offensively and defensively, respectively, and remain names to keep watch of before tip-off.
The Heat will also be without second-year center Kel’el Ware, who hasn’t played since January 19th with a hamstring injury, and could leave the task a bit easier for the Jazz while they’re likely without two big men of their own in Nurkic and Love.
Be sure to bookmark Utah Jazz On SI and follow @JazzOnSI on X to stay up-to-date on daily Utah Jazz news, interviews, breakdowns and more!
Source: Utah News