Utah Jazz Get Positive Injury News on Lauri Markkanen

The Utah Jazz might finally be getting star forward Lauri Markkanen back in the lineup after a seven-game absence.

According to The Salt Lake Tribune's Andy Larsen, Markkanen participated in practice before the Jazz's upcoming game against the Los Angeles Clippers, and is expected to be upgraded to play from return-to-competition reconditioning.

Lauri Markkanen practiced today and is expected to return in tomorrow's game against LAC.
— Andy Larsen (@andyblarsen) January 26, 2026

Markkanen hasn't played for the Jazz dating back to January 12th due to an illness, as well as a reconditioning period that left him out of the fold in Utah's latest two games against the San Antonio Spurs and Miami Heat.

Now, though, two weeks after his initial absence from the Jazz rotation, it's looking like Markkanen will be elevated for game time in Utah against the Clippers.

Lauri Markkanen Expected to Play vs. Clippers

When on the floor for the Jazz this season, Markkanen's been off to a career-best year of production. In 33 games, he's averaging a team-leading 27.9 points per game, 7.2 rebounds, and 2.2 assists per night while shooting efficiently 48.3% from the field and 36.5% from three.

In games without Markkanen in the lineup, it's been typical for the Jazz to really struggle. Utah is 1-12 on the season for games that Markkanen is out, with that one victory coming on the road against the Minnesota Timberwolves earlier last week, 127-122.

However, as initial signs seem to indicate, Markkanen will have a chance to get the Jazz back on track from their current two-game losing streak without him against the Clippers; a team they've already taken down once this year in their season opener back in October.

On the season, Utah is 1-1 against the Clippers, having lost their latest matchup on New Year’s Day, that one being without the services of Markkanen in the lineup.

Los Angeles has gotten off to a strong start to the 2026 calendar year, having gone 10-3 throughout the month of January, and are 8-2 in their last 10 games that give them some serious momentum rolling into Salt Lake City, and thus make an additional challenge for the Jazz, even if Markkanen is back to 100%.

Considering Markkanen's slated to be healthy for the first time in the past couple of weeks, he's likely to fill into his regular spot in the starting lineup next to Ace Bailey and Jusuf Nurkic in the frontcourt, paired with Keyonte George and Svi Mykhailiuk holding down the backcourt, so long as everyone else is slated to be healthy.

The Jazz and Clippers are set to tip-off in the Delta Center at 8 PM MT on Tuesday.

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