Utah Jazz Announce Big Lauri Markkanen Update for Miami Heat Game

It looks like the Utah Jazz will be without Lauri Markkanen for yet another game, this time in a matchup at home against the Miami Heat.

According to a new injury update from the Jazz, Markkanen has been downgraded from questionable to out due to return to competition reconditioning.

UPDATED Jazz Injury Report:

*OUT - Lauri Markkanen (return to competition reconditioning) https://t.co/r3gMykS2Wj
— Utah Jazz (@utahjazz) January 24, 2026

It'll be Markkanen's seventh-straight missed game for the Jazz between both conditioning and a lingering illness, and thus leaves Utah without their leading scorer for yet another night, and extending the forward's longest absence of the season thus far.

The last time Markkanen was on the floor for the Jazz came on January 12th in a win over his former team, the Cleveland Cavaliers. But now, he'll have to wait at least one more contest before ending that extended leave.

Jazz's Lauri Markkanen Officially Ruled Out for Heat Game

Markkanen's been a real bright spot for the Jazz in games that he's been able to play this season, making his absence a tough blow against Miami.

During his 33 games this season, Markkanen has averaged a career-high 27.9 points, 7.2 rebounds, and 2.2 assists while shooting 48.3% from the field and 36.5% from three.

He'll have another chance to match up against the Heat at the beginning of next month on February 9th when the Jazz travel to South Beach to play on the Heat's home floor. But for this time, they'll have to play without their leading scorer once more.

Jan 9, 2025; Salt Lake City, Utah, USA; Utah Jazz forward Lauri Markkanen (23) dunks the ball during the second half against the Miami Heat at Delta Center. Mandatory Credit: Chris Nicoll-Imagn Images | Chris Nicoll-Imagn Images

That means the Jazz will turn to Keyonte George once again as their team's number one scoring option, who's been able to take advantage of those opportunities in a big way recently while Markkanen's been forced out.

In the 11 games that Markkanen hasn't played that George has, he's averaged 24.0 points, 5.4 assists, and 2.9 rebounds, continuing the hot hand he kept throughout his breakout third season, albeit while logging a record of 1-10 in those games.

With Markkanen ruled out once again, it also starts to make his 65-game league minimum for end-of-season awards and honors on the brink of soon being broken if he remains forced out.

Not being elevated against the Heat means the Jazz star will have missed 13 games on the year so far––just five games away from falling below that 65-game threshold. Considering the broader implications in play for the Jazz's season moving forward and what's to come of this summer's lottery odds, seeing that 65-game minimum being broken soon might not be the most shocking outcome.

As for how that plays out remains to be seen, but at least against Miami, don't expect to see Markkanen in the mix; instead, look ahead to their next game against the Los Angeles Clippers at home this upcoming week.

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