SALT LAKE CITY – The Utah Jazz will be significantly shorthanded as they take on the Houston Rockets in their last home game of the season, with several key players sidelined due to various injuries and illnesses.
Notably, Lauri Markkanen is out with a shoulder injury, Jordan Clarkson is sidelined due to an SI joint issue, John Collins is suffering from back problems, Collin Sexton is down with an illness, Kris Dunn is dealing with a foot injury, and Walker Kessler will miss the game because of a nose injury, all of whom will not participate in the season’s final home game for the 2023-24 season.
The team has struggled lately, with a disappointing 3-24 record in their last 27 games post-trade deadline, including a streak of 13 straight losses.
Despite these challenges, the Jazz still have a chance to secure a winning record at home. They currently have a balanced 20-20 record at the Delta Center and need a win to finish the season with more wins than losses at home.
It’s been a while since the Jazz finished with a losing record at home; the last instance was in the 2013-14 season when they had a 16-25 record in Salt Lake City. Historically, since relocating to Utah in the 1979-80 season, the team has enjoyed 39 winning seasons at home.
On the other side, the Houston Rockets are out of the running for a playoff spot, having failed to overtake the Golden State Warriors for the 10th seed in the Western Conference. Despite a strong push, including an 11-game winning streak highlighted by a victory over the Jazz on March 29, the Rockets’ subsequent five-game losing streak dashed their playoff hopes. They now stand at a 39-40 record for the season.
Fans looking to catch the action between the Jazz and Rockets can tune in on Thursday at 7 pm MST. The game will be broadcast on KJZZ, streamed on Jazz+, and available for listening on 97.5 The KSL Sports Zone.
