Utah Jazz ahead Bojan Bogdanovic (44) takes the ball to the ring over Portland Path Blazers ahead Elijah Hughes (19) because the Utah Jazz and the Portland Path Blazers play an NBA basketball recreation at Vivint Area in Salt Lake Metropolis on Wednesday, March 9, 2022. Scott G Winterton, Deseret Information
The Utah Jazz are on a five-game dropping streak and have dropped to sixth within the Western Convention standings.
Because the Jazz wade via the ultimate six video games of the common season, they’re hoping for one factor — well being.
The factor that jumps out is that we must be wholesome,” Jazz head coach Quin Snyder stated simply earlier than the workforce’s most up-to-date loss. “That’s the first factor in my thoughts.”
It appears to be like just like the Jazz will get one step nearer to being wholesome after they face the Los Angeles Lakers at Vivint Area on Thursday night time as Bojan Bogdanovic and Danuel Home Jr. return to the lineup.
Bogdanovic has missed the final 9 video games with a left calf pressure, and Home has missed the final eight video games with a left knee bone bruise. Each gamers stated on Thursday morning that they weren’t certain how a lot they’d have the ability to play or in the event that they’d be on a minutes restriction, however that they'd certainly be returning to the lineup.
That’s nice information for the Jazz, who must rack up just a few wins in order that they aren’t at risk of falling into the seventh seed, which might pressure them into the pre-playoff play-in event.
Getting some reinforcements forward of the sport towards the Lakers will make the Jazz the favorites to win on Thursday night time because the Lakers have misplaced three straight and will likely be enjoying with out LeBron James and Anthony Davis. However the Jazz’s well being hopes transcend simply Thursday’s recreation.
The Jazz are nonetheless enjoying with out backup heart Hassan Whiteside, who has missed three video games with a proper foot pressure. With Udoka Azubuike out for the remainder of the season following surgical procedure on his proper ankle, the Jazz signed signed veteran Greg Monroe to a 10-day contract to attempt to maintain them over on the heart place till they'll get Whiteside again.
Including to the Jazz’s harm woes, Trent Forrest sustained a concussion within the Jazz loss to the Clippers on Tuesday night time, and there’s no timetable for his return. Additionally, everyone seems to be watching Donovan Mitchell’s proper ankle intently after he tweaked it towards the Dallas Mavericks Sunday.
Mitchell has not been on the Jazz’s harm report, however he famous there’s soreness and a few concern contemplating how issues went together with his ankle in final 12 months’s playoffs.
In an ideal world the Jazz would wish to undergo the ultimate handful of video games with their full roster out there so there could possibly be some continuity heading into the postseason, however at this level they're simply hoping to be wholesome when the playoffs start on April 16.