Utah changes Lauri Markkanen’s injury status for matchup against Kings
Wednesday night, Utah Jazz will hit the floor for the penultimate time before the All-Star break for a home game against the Sacramento Kings. The Jazz was one of the talk of the NBA world in recent weeks due to their shameless withdrawal of starters in an attempt to lose games, and the Kings are another team looking to maximize their chances for the NBA lottery.
In the beginning, jazz ruled Lauri Markkanen out of this game due to rest, but now his status has changedand he is listed as available for competition. This appears to be in response to the barrage of taunts that have been hurled in the Jazz’s direction over the past few weeks as a result of their apparent attempt to lose games.
Meanwhile, the Kings have made no secret of their desire to remain non-competitive, as the team listed Malik Monk, Russell Westbrook, Zach LaVine, Domantas Sabonis, De’Andre Hunter and Keegan Murray as out for this game due to various ailments.
The Kings, of course, aren’t particularly good at winning even when all of their main players are on the floor, but this injury report seems to signal a clear opportunity for the team to try and lose to another team in the race for the bottom of the Jazz.
Most recently, Jazz coach Will Hardy received massive criticism for pulling his starters in a game against the Orlando Magic, which Utah lost after leading by 17 points in the second half. The coach pulled off a similar maneuver in the team’s recent game against the Miami Heat, but the Heat’s ineptitude led to the Jazz still winning in the end.
In any case, tip-off for Wednesday’s break is set for 9:00 PM ET.
2026-02-11 16:57:00
