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

Utah Jazz star Lauri Markkanen has been ruled out for Monday's game against the Denver Nuggets due to a hip injury, and he's set to miss several more games in March due to the issue.

This is perfect for the tanking Jazz, as they have struggled mightily without Markkanen in the 2025-26 season, winning just one of the 18 games that he's missed. On Feb. 26, it was reported that Markkanen would miss at least two weeks, meaning he likely won't return until mid-March.

Shams: Lauri Markkanen to miss at least 2 weeks after MRI showed "symptomatic hip impingement with associated inflammation and bone bruise."
— Underdog NBA (@UnderdogNBA) February 27, 2026

With Markkanen sidelined on Monday, oddsmakers at DraftKings have set the Jazz as massive underdogs at home against Denver. The Nuggets, who have been slumping as of late, are coming off a loss to Minnesota on Sunday, but they're favored by 11.5 points and are -550 on the moneyline in this matchup.

Markkanen has played sparingly since the All-Star break, appearing in just one of Utah's last five games. He's put together a strong season, averaging 26.7 points, 6.9 rebounds and 2.1 assists per game while shooting 47.7 percent from the field and 35.5 percent from beyond the arc.

Utah is clearly one of the worst teams in the NBA when he's off the floor, and the Jazz are down more than just Markkanen on Monday night. Jusuf Nurkic, Walker Kessler, Vince Williams Jr. and Jaren Jackson Jr. are all out for the season.

Denver has lost back-to-back games and six of its last 10, but this could be a perfect spot to bet on the Nuggets. They have actually been a better road team (21-12) this season, and with Markkanen out the Jazz have simply not been able to compete in the 2025-26 campaign.

Odds refresh periodically and are subject to change.

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