After missing the last six games with a quadriceps strain, Utah Jazz forward Lauri Markkanen will be back in the starting lineup as they take on the Minnesota Timberwolves on Monday. The Jazz faced the Timberwolves in their most recent game, on Mar. 16, in what was a 19-point loss for the freefalling Western Conference club.
Lauri Markkanen to Return to Starting Lineup
A team that’s now 7-18 in their last 25 games, the Jazz are a far cry from the one that had a midseason turnaround after a starting lineup change. Speaking about his decision to return from injury despite the Jazz being just 12th in the Western Conference at 29-38, Markkanen says it’s “[to] get better as a team and as an individual.”
“I need to work on some things,” Markkanen explains. “I need to get better. At the same time, I need to build chemistry with the young guys and really get that on-court experience against the other teams, not just practice.”
“I need to build chemistry with the young guys… I think we can finish out this year strong.”
Lauri meets with the media and talks about his potential return, playing with Mike Conley, what he’s seeing from the rookies and more 🇫🇮#ShootaroundInterviews | @ZionsBank
— Utah Jazz (@utahjazz) March 18, 2024
“I think we can finish out this year strong, get better, and set a standard for us too.”
Without Markkanen, the Jazz have still shown a competitive spirit. Collin Sexton, Keyonte George, Brice Sensabaugh, and John Collins have all had their moments. However, Utah is just a much stronger team with Markkanen in the lineup. The 26-year-old is their leading scorer, one of their top three-point threats, and a 7-foot-0 presence on the boards.
This season, Markkanen is averaging 23.1 points and 8.3 rebounds per game while shooting 40.1 percent from 3. It’s his second consecutive season averaging at least 23 points and 8 rebounds while shooting 39 percent from 3.
Clarifying Roles
The Jazz have appeared to lack an identity without Markkanen on the floor. This seems to be due to many of their plays called for Markkanen, as Jazz head coach Will Hardy puts a lot of effort into making sure the Finnish finisher gets a shot beyond the arc or inside the paint.
To that point, while there’s not been a firmly established pecking order behind Markkanen, he’s long been their first option. Without him on the floor, players are even less sure of their roles. The lack of chemistry and certainty shows in the flow of their offense.
