One Positive Takeaway From Jazz's 105-115 Loss vs. Mavericks

The Utah Jazz suffered their sixth-straight loss on Monday night.

The Utah Jazz came up short once again during their Monday meeting with the Dallas Mavericks, falling in a 105-115 loss which drops them down to a record of 29-43. After the recent rough stretch of games, this squad is now inching closer to teetering on the edge of being elimited from the Western Conference Play-In Tournament.

However, despite the end result, not all went poorly during the contest for this Jazz team. Especially when discussing the impact Lauri Markkanen had on the night, it's what highlights the most positive takeaway from this home loss.

Through the past two weeks, Markkanen has been in and out of the Jazz rotation, dealing with some injuries on his quadriceps and ankle. However, Utah made the surprising decision to let Lauri suit up on Monday to prove he was 100% ready to go when his number got called. He finished the night with a game-high 34 points, seven rebounds, and two assists on 10-19 shooting from the field. This was his third-highest scoring output of the year, with his 38-point performance against the Phoenix Suns during November leading the way.

While the unclear status across recent weeks could inevitably lead to some lingering questions for the Jazz fanbase, Markkanen has clearly shown his recent absences were nothing close to a long-term concern. Instead, it can be easily attributed to Utah's focus on securing better draft positioning for the summer, something that's easier to accomplish without an All-Star caliber player in the lineup.

Seeing how Markkanen's status shifts across the final ten games of the season will be an intriguing storyline to keep an eye on for Jazz fans. Even while he's already fallen short of his 65-game requirement for award considerations, the seven-year league veteran has made it clear he wants to play and win games. However, the front office of this squad may not share the same perspective as we close out the season.

Markkanen will get his next chance to play on Wednesday night at home as the Jazz face off against the San Antonio Spurs at 7 PM MT.

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