Lauri Markkanen, Keyonte George on injury report against Clippers
The Utah Jazz could open the new year in earnest after listing key starters Lauri Markkanen and Keionte George as questionable for their first match in 2026 vs Los Angeles Clippers, according to the latest injury report.
Markkanen has a left knee contusion while George is battling an illness as Utah begins a four-game road trip at the Intuit Dome. This trip is after Utah’s recent loss to the Boston Celtics. Regardless, once you hit the road, their availability is great for a The Jazz are already dealing with one of the longest injury reports in the leagues.
Utah ruled out Ace Bailey (left hip flexor strain), Jusuf Nurkic (left first MTP sprain), Walker Kessler (recovery from left shoulder injury), Kevin Love (rest), George Niyang (left fourth metatarsal stress reaction), John Tonje and Elijah Harkless (both in the G League). That list effectively removes four projected starters from the rotation, with Markkanen and George the last major questions.
Will Keyonte George still play for the Jazz against the Clippers?
George was also questionable due to illness ahead of Utah’s recent game against Boston. However, he ended up playing. George turned in one of the best performances of his season. The guard led the Jazz with 37 points, seven assists and six rebounds in a 129-119 loss to the Celtics. It just wasn’t enough as Derrick White scored 27 points for Boston, including 13 in the fourth quarter, as the Celtics were on the defensive. White also made history with seven blocks.
Markkanen’s knee problem is hopefully minor. However, Utah could opt to be cautious with its All-Star forward in early January. Markkanen leads the Jazz with 27.7 points and 7.0 rebounds per game. Meanwhile, George is averaging 24.6 points and 6.8 assists. The Markkanen-George duo is one of the best pairings in the NBA this season.
Utah enters the game 12-20. Meanwhile, Los Angeles is 11-21 but riding a five-game winning streak. The Clippers are also shorthanded, missing Bradley Beal, Bogdan Bogdanovic, Chris Paul and Ivica Zubac.
2026-01-01 16:05:00
