Is Lauri Markkanen Playing Tonight? (Injury Update, Betting Impact for Jazz vs. Rockets)

Utah Jazz star Lauri Markkanen has missed back-to-back games with the team in full tank mode in the 2025-26 season, but he has been upgraded for Monday night's contest against the Houston Rockets.

Markkanen is listed as probable with an illness against Houston, a sign that he should play after missing the team's final game before the All-Star break and Friday's loss to the Memphis Grizzlies.

The Jazz have limited Markkanen's minutes in recent games, as he's sat out entire fourth quarters with Utah looking to lose. The star forward has not played more than 30 minutes in a game since Feb. 1, but he's still averaging 26.7 points, 7.0 rebounds and 2.1 assists per game.

The Jazz are massive underdogs on Monday even with Markkanen in the lineup, as oddsmakers have clear caught on to the team trying to lose to keep its top-eight protected pick in the 2026 NBA Draft. The Jazz are just 18-39 this season, and they've lost seven of their last 10 games.

When Markkanen is in the lineup, Utah is a much better team, going 17-24 in the 41 games he's played in. That's a big reason why the Jazz have held him out during winning time, as it gives them a much better chance of coming up short.

Even though Markkanen's minutes will likely be limited again on Monday, he could be worth a look in the prop market given how well he's scored the ball this season.

Best Utah Jazz Prop Bet vs. Rockets

Odds via DraftKings Sportsbook

Lauri Markkanen OVER 1.5 3-Pointers Made (-133)

This season, Markkanen has shot the ball well from beyond the arc, knocking down 36.3 percent of his attempts while taking 7.7 per game.

While his numbers are going to fall if the Jazz continue to limit his minutes, that hasn’t been the case so far this month.

Markkanen has made two or more 3-pointers in five of his six appearances, including three games with at least three shots made from beyond the arc. The Jazz forward is still getting up a ton of attempts, taking 6.5 per game during this stretch.

That makes him an intriguing target at this discounted number on Monday, even though the Rockets rank in the top 10 in the NBA in both opponent 3-pointers made per game and opponent 3-point percentage.

I expect the Jazz star to knock down at least two shots from deep, something he’s done in 35 of his 41 games in the 2025-26 campaign.

Odds refresh periodically and are subject to change.

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