Will Hardy reveals Lauri Markkanen’s game plan before the All-Star break
The Utah Jazz are taking a cautious approach with their superstar forward as they head into the All-Star break. Before Wednesday night match against the Sacramento Kingshead coach of jazz Will Hardy revealed the management team’s strategy Lauri MarkkanenThe workload after his recent work on the injury report.
According to Utah Jazz beat writer Andy Larsen, Hardy confirmed that Markkanen would play against Sacramento, but under a strict minutes limit.
The team intends to monitor how his body reacts to game action before making a final decision on his availability for Thursday’s back-to-back contest. This careful handling comes as Utah looks to keep its franchise cornerstone healthy for the final stretch of the season.
so far, the plan didn’t slow jazz down. Utah jumped out to a huge 79-49 lead as the game progressed, completely overwhelming a depleted Sacramento roster. The Kings are currently struggling without Domantas Sabonis in the interior and shooting guard Zach LaVine, both sidelined with injuries.
While Markkanen’s minutes are closely monitored, the Jazz are finding plenty of production elsewhere. New reinforcement Jaren Jackson Jr. continues to make his presence felt and leads with 18 points. The Jazz are also without starting point guard Keyonte George, who is out tonight with a sprained right ankle.
With the game still in the second half, Utah looks poised to end Sacramento’s hopes of ending their long losing streak. The energy in Salt Lake City is high, especially as the Jazz continue to experiment with the pairing of Markkanen and Jackson Jr. Fans are watching the bench closely to see exactly when Hardy pulls the plug on Markkanen’s dinner, but for now, the Jazz are firmly in the driver’s seat.
2026-02-12 03:39:00
