The Utah Jazz are getting a big boost from a shortened injury report with three starters returning to the court, and that’s a good thing considering the task ahead of them on Tuesday and Thursday.
Mike Conley, Lauri Markkanen and Jordan Clarkson were all full participants at practice Monday and will be available to play.
Conley had missed nine straight games before returning to the lineup on a minutes restriction Friday against the Minnesota Timberwolves. He didn’t play in the second game of a back-to-back in Denver on Saturday night. Markkanen has been under the weather and sidelined for three straight games and Clarkson did not play Saturday because of a right hip contusion. But, after a day of practice, all three players were missing from the Jazz’s latest injury report.
On Tuesday night the Jazz will play the first of a two-game series against the New Orleans Pelicans, who are very possibly the NBA’s hottest team.
The Pelicans come into Utah on a seven-game win streak, which includes the Pelicans’ two most recent wins over the Phoenix Suns, and they’ve done it all while Brandon Ingram has been sidelined with a toe injury.
With Zion Williamson leading the way, putting up a team-high 25 points per game to go with 7.2 rebounds and 4.2 assists, the Pelicans have supplanted the Suns as the winningest team in the Western Conference.
But it’s not just Williamson and guard C.J. McCollum that have put the Pelicans on top with their offensive dominance. The Pelicans’ defense has flustered opponents. They are fourth in the league in forcing opponent turnovers, and that could be a real problem for the Jazz.
“Turnovers late in the game continues to be something that we’re struggling with,” Jazz coach Will Hardy said on Saturday night after the Jazz’ loss to the Nuggets. “Especially late in the game, we just don’t have time to make it up. We’ve got to find a way to get good shots down the stretch.”
They Jazz certainly hope that having Conley’s services will help with some of the late-game decision making, but they’ll have their hands full against the Pelicans regardless.
The Pelicans’ bench has also been a source of success. Led by Larry Nance Jr., the bench has averaged at least 40 points every night during Ingram’s absence. Meanwhile, the Jazz are going to be without Collin Sexton (right hamstring strain) and Simone Fontecchio (left ankle sprain), which is going to deplete the Jazz’s depth.
And the Jazz aren’t just going to have to contend with the hottest team in the league one time. The Pelicans are in town to face the Jazz twice; first on Tuesday, then again Thursday.
From there, the Jazz head out on a brutal road trip that will have them face Milwaukee Cleveland and Detroit.
