The Utah Jazz will face off against the Orlando Magic tonight at Kia Center. The Jazz currently sits 14th in the Western Conference, while the Magic ranks 4th in the Eastern Conference. While the Magic at a 21-15 record, have been a strong home team this season, the Jazz are struggling with an 8-25 record. This game holds particular importance with both teams dealing with a series of injuries, including a key question about whether Lauri Markkanen, the Jazz’s star forward, will be available to play tonight.

The injury report for tonight’s game has some notable absences on both sides. For the Jazz, Lauri Markkanen is listed as out due to low back spasms. Along with him, a few other key players join the injury list such as Jordan Clarkson (left plantar fasciitis), John Collins (personal reasons), Taylor Hendricks (right fibula fracture), Elijah Harkless, Oscar Tshiebwe, and Cody Williams, all out for tonight’s game. Additionally, Keyonte George is listed as questionable with left heel soreness, leaving the Jazz with a thin roster.

For the Magic, the injury list is also lengthy, though their injuries are primarily focused on key players like Jalen Suggs (back), Gary Harris (hamstring), and Anthony Black (back), all of whom have been ruled out for tonight’s game. Orlando’s top performer, Paolo Banchero, has been out for much of the season with an oblique injury, but he has been able to practice and could return soon. Meanwhile, Moritz Wagner’s season-ending torn ACL will also leave Orlando thin in the frontcourt.

How would injuries effect tonight’s game?

Lauri Markkanen’s injury is a tough blow for the Jazz. Averaging 19.3 points and 6.3 rebounds, his absence will put even more pressure on players like Collin Sexton and Walker Kessler to step up. Sexton has been one of the team’s more consistent contributors, averaging nearly 17.6 points, 2.7 rebounds and 4 assists per game. Meanwhile, Kessler has been a force, averaging a double-double with 10.4 points, 11.1 rebounds, and 2.6 blocks. His defensive presence could be critical against Orlando’s offense tonight.

With Collins, Markkanen and Clarkson out, the Jazz will hope that Keyonte George is healthy enough to play. George has been averaging 15.6 points and 5.7 assists, but it’s a lot to ask for him to shoulder the scoring load on his own. The Jazz have struggled defensively all season, and without their top scorer in Markkanen, they’ll need to find a way to keep Orlando’s offense in check.

The Magic have been hit hard with injuries this season, and tonight is no exception. With Anthony Black and Jalen Suggs out, Orlando’s backcourt is heavily short-handed. However, despite these injuries, the Magic have continued to excel defensively, ranking among the top defensive teams in the league. Without Suggs, Orlando will likely lean on players like Kentavious Caldwell-Pope and rookie Tristan da Silva to provide a scoring spark.

Caldwell-Pope has had a rough start to the season shooting the ball, but he’s shown signs of improvement recently, scoring 36 points across two games in January. Da Silva, on the other hand, has been a pleasant surprise for the Magic, with a career-high 25 points in a recent game. The question will be whether Orlando can generate enough offense to take advantage of Utah’s defense, especially with their own offensive limitations due to injuries.

Depth Charts of Orlando Magic and Utah Jazz

Orlando Magic Depth Chart:

Utah Jazz Depth Chart:

With both teams dealing with setbacks and multiple absences, the Magic’s defense could be the X-factor in this matchup. Both teams are dealing with significant injuries, and it will be interesting to see how the remaining players step up and which team can find a way to make the most of their situation.