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Lauri Markkanen Injury Issues Remain Ahead of Sixers-Jazz

The Utah Jazz will remain without Lauri Markkanen on Sunday against the Sixers.
Justin Grasso|
Dec 28, 2024; Salt Lake City, Utah, USA; Utah Jazz forward Lauri Markkanen (23) and Philadelphia 76ers guard Reggie Jackson (00) battle for a rebound during the third quarter at Delta Center. Mandatory Credit: Rob Gray-Imagn Images
Dec 28, 2024; Salt Lake City, Utah, USA; Utah Jazz forward Lauri Markkanen (23) and Philadelphia 76ers guard Reggie Jackson (00) battle for a rebound during the third quarter at Delta Center. Mandatory Credit: Rob Gray-Imagn Images | Rob Gray-Imagn Images

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Philadelphia 76ersUtah Jazz

The Philadelphia 76ers will host the Utah Jazz on Sunday night. Both teams are planning for key absences. On Utah’s end, their lengthy injury report is headlined by the standout shooter, Lauri Markkanen.

Markkanen has had a frequent presence on the Jazz’s injury report as of late. As he deals with an apparent back injury, the Jazz have sat the 27-year-old out so he can continue to manage it.

According to the official NBA injury report, Sunday night will be another outing where Markkanen misses time. The game marks the eighth time this year Markkanen will be out.

Once again, the Jazz have been one of the NBA’s rebuilding squads in 2024-2025. Although Markkanen was viewed as a potential flight risk early on, he re-signed a major deal with the Jazz, locking himself in Utah until the 2024 offseason at the earliest.

Throughout the year, Markkanen missed scattered games. Up until February 24, he appeared in 43 of 56 games for the Jazz. During that stretch, Markkanen averaged 19 points, six rebounds, and two assists. He was shooting 35 percent from three on eight attempts per game.

Markkanen’s recovery timeline is currently unclear. He won’t be facing Philly for a second time this year as the Sixers and the Jazz will wrap up their two-game run-in this year.

Lauri Markkane
Feb 22, 2025; Salt Lake City, Utah, USA; Utah Jazz forward Lauri Markkanen (23) takes a shot over Houston Rockets forward Amen Thompson (1) during the first half at Delta Center. Mandatory Credit: Rob Gray-Imagn Images | Rob Gray-Imagn Images

When the two teams met in Utah back in December, Markkanen shot 8-21 from the field in 32 minutes. He finished the game with 23 points, four rebounds, and two assists.

The Jazz enter Sunday’s matchup on a four-game losing streak. They are 15-48 on the season, placing last in the Western Conference.

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Justin Grasso
JUSTIN GRASSO

Justin Grasso was a credentialed writer and publisher covering the Philadelphia 76ers for Sports Illustrated’s Philadelphia 76ers On SI Network. Grasso got his start in sports media in 2016 with FantasyPros, working the news desk, providing game-by-game player analysis and updates on the Portland Trail Blazers and the Golden State Warriors. By 2017, he joined FanSided’s Philadelphia Eagles site as a staff writer. After spending one season covering the Eagles as a staff writer, Grasso was promoted to become the site’s Co-Editor. For the next two NFL seasons, he covered the Eagles closely before broadening his NFL coverage. For a brief stint, Grasso covered the NFL on a national basis after joining Heavy.com as an NFL news desk writer. In 2019, Grasso joined the 76ers' beat on a part-time basis, stepping into a role with South Jersey’s 97.3 ESPN. Ahead of the 2019-2020 NBA season, he concluded a three-year stint covering the Eagles and joined the Sixers beat full-time. Grasso has covered the 76ers exclusively since then for Sports Illustrated. He is a member of the Pro Basketball Writers Association. Twitter: @JGrasso_ Instagram: @JGrassoMedia Threads: @JGrassoMedia

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