Utah Jazz Look to End Brutal Streak vs Dallas Mavericks

The Utah Jazz will have their second game in a row versus the Dallas Mavericks on tap to start off their weekend after their previous 122-144 blowout, and in the process of their road trip, they'll be trying to end an ugly streak suffered throughout the first half of this season.

With Lauri Markkanen officially downgraded to out for the Jazz for a second straight game due to an illness, Utah will be seeking their first win of the season without Markkanen in the lineup—having gone 0-8 in games when their one-time All-Star and the team's leading scorer has missed out of the action.

Considering Markkanen has played in just under 80% of the Jazz's games halfway through the regular season, he's been regularly available and in the lineup, despite a few one- to two-game absences, similar to his status against the Mavericks.

However, in those games that Markkanen doesn't play, the Jazz have seemed to struggle in a major way.

Utah Jazz Looking for First Win Without Lauri Markkanen

In the games that Markkanen hasn't played in for the Jazz, they've lost by an average margin of 18.0 points; a large chunk of that being heavily weighted because of their historic 55-point loss to the Charlotte Hornets, but even when removing that one anomaly, they're still losing by an average of over a dozen points.

Being without Markkanen could just be a benefit for the Jazz in the long term simply due to the implications in play for their top-eight protected first round pick in the hands of the OKC Thunder.

While Markkanen's proven to be playing at an All-Star level when he's on the floor, and has since cemented his status on the roster for the time being, Utah can't win too many games without fear of losing their coveted first-round pick in a talented draft class. Therefore, struggling without his presence out on the floor might just be by design, or if not, still works out well in their favor once the lottery comes around.

Jan 7, 2026; Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, USA; Utah Jazz forward/center Lauri Markkanen (23) goes up for a basket against the Oklahoma City Thunder during the second half at Paycom Center. Mandatory Credit: Alonzo Adams-Imagn Images | Alonzo Adams-Imagn Images

With Markkanen ruled out, expect to see a bit more Keyonte George on the offensive end, who's now elevated as their number one scorer for the night.

In the seven games that George has played without Markkanen in the lineup alongside him, he's averaging 19.9 points, 5.6 assists, and 3.4 rebounds.

The Jazz's starting five might also be the same as it was for their latest matchup against the Mavericks two days prior, with Isaiah Collier pairing next to George in the backcourt, while Ace Bailey, Cody Williams, and Kyle Filipowski fill out the frontcourt––but don't be surprised if Will Hardy decides to shake things up after a 20-plus-point loss either.

Be sure to bookmark Utah Jazz On SI and follow @JazzOnSI on X to stay up-to-date on daily Utah Jazz news, interviews, breakdowns and more!