SALT LAKE CITY (AP) — Forward Lauri Markkanen and forward/center John Collins did not play for the Utah Jazz against the Denver Nuggets on Wednesday night.
Markkanen (personal reasons) has missed four games this season. He left late in the fourth quarter of Utah’s 128-115 loss to San Antonio on Tuesday night and did not return with a left knee contusion following a knee-to-knee collision with Victor Wembanyama.
Markkanen is averaging 19.5 points and 6.6 rebounds through 14 games.
Collins, who also suffered a left knee contusion against the Spurs, was sidelined for the first time after appearing in Utah’s first 17 games, where he averaged 17.9 points and 8.8 rebounds. He bumped knees with Markkanen on Tuesday night a few seconds before Markkanen had his collision with Wembanyama.
The Jazz called up Oscar Tshiebwe and Micah Potter from their G-League affiliate – the Salt Lake City Stars – in the absences of Markkanen and Collins. Utah already had Jordan Clarkson, Kyle Filipowski, and Taylor Hendricks sidelined with injuries.
“These are the nights where you just have to lean into the adversity and say, ‘Okay, here’s a situation we didn’t plan for, and we need to try to emphasize everyone’s strengths even more,’” Jazz coach Will Hardy said.
Hardy said he may rely on some never-before-seen rotations against the Nuggets to compensate for the absences of Markkanen and Collins.
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