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

Utah Jazz star Lauri Markkanen has been in and out of the lineup recently, but he did play over 32 minutes in the team's loss to the Houston Rockets on Monday.

Now, Markkanen is listed as questionable for Thursday's battle with the New Orleans Pelicans due to ankle and hip injuries. The one-time All-Star is set to undergo an MRI for the issues, and the NBA reportedly is sending independent doctors to verify the results.

It appears the league is looking to combat the Jazz's tanking efforts this season, especially since Markkanen missed time last season down the stretch with some interesting injuries. The NBA fined Utah last season for resting Markkanen in multiple games.

NBA will send independent doctors to verify Lauri Markkanen's MRI on Thursday, per @Tjonesonthenba. https://t.co/K0VRGslKbb
— Underdog NBA (@UnderdogNBA) February 26, 2026

This season, Markkanen has played well for Utah, 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 3-point range. Utah is 17-25 in the games that he's played in, but it has just one of the 16 games that he's missed.

The Jazz currently hold the No. 13 spot in the Western Conference, and they are hoping to remain in the top eight in the 2026 NBA Draft since they owe a top-eight protected pick to Oklahoma City.

With Markkanen's status up in the air, Utah is a 4.5-point home underdog in the odds at DraftKings on Thursday night. That's a sign that the Jazz star may not play, and Utah already has ruled out Jaren Jackson Jr. and Jusuf Nurkic for the rest of the season.

New Orleans is the No. 14 seed in the West, but it has won back-to-back games and five of its last 10. With a win, the Pelicans would be just a half-game back of the Jazz in the Western Conference standings.

Markkanen's status will be updated ahead of game time when the Jazz release their final injury report.

Odds refresh periodically and are subject to change.

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