Utah Jazz DVOA, Stats, & NBA Rankings

Utah Jazz guard Jordan Clarkson (groin) is questionable for Monday's matchup against the Mavericks. He's been out for six games with a groin strain, but it looks like Utah's microwave scorer could be back in the lineup on Monday. The comeback would come at a good time because the Jazz have just lost Kris Dunn to a suspension. Clarkson is the third-leading scorer on the team with 17.4 points and leads the squad with 5.0 assists. He's a high-usage player, meaning there will be fewer shots available to Keyonte George, Collin Sexton, and Lauri Markkanen (quadriceps) if he returns.

Utah Jazz forward/center John Collins (face) will play against Houston on Saturday. The team has upgraded him from questionable to available. Collins returns from a one-game absence, pushing Walker Kessler back to the bench. It's been a strong month for Collins, as the former Hawk has averaged 16.8 points and 8.5 rebounds with 1.5 blocks. He faces a good defensive team on Saturday, but the game is projected to be fairly high-scoring, and there should be plenty of opportunities for Collins to fill the stat sheet.

Utah Jazz forward/center John Collins (face) has been labeled as questionable for Saturday's matchup against Houston. Collins is still dealing with the facial contusion he suffered when Anthony Edwards posterized him on Monday. He played the next game against the Thunder on Wednesday but was absent when the team also took the court on Thursday versus Dallas. Walker Kessler filled Collins' position as the starting center on Thursday and will likely do so again on Saturday if Collins can't play. Kessler had 14 points on perfect 7-for-7 shooting and grabbed nine rebounds against the Mavericks' well-equipped frontcourt. The Rockets have struggled to tame big men all season long, and we can expect Kessler to improve on Thursday's performance.

Utah Jazz guard Jordan Clarkson (groin) will miss a sixth consecutive game on Saturday against the Rockets. He's nursing a groin strain, and the team has no reason to rush him back after Utah decided to pull the plug on the season. With Clarkson out of commission, Kris Dunn has received a larger role on the team and is looking at a fifth consecutive start on Saturday. Talen Horton-Tucker has had more opportunities as well, while Clarkson's absence boosts the usage of Keyonte George and Collin Sexton on offense. The latter is riding a six-game 20-point streak ahead of Saturday's matchup, and George has also carried a good amount of fantasy value since starting life as a regular starter on Feb. 12.

Utah Jazz forward Lauri Markkanen (quadriceps) will once again come out of the lineup Saturday against Houston for injury maintenance purposes. The 2023 All-Star recently returned from a quadriceps injury, but the team is balancing his workload, and Markkanen has yet to play in two consecutive games since coming back. Brice Sensabaugh and Taylor Hendricks have a chance to pick up more minutes without Markkanen, while his absence is bound to boost the offensive usage of Keyonte George and Collin Sexton. Houston has the eighth-best defensive rating in the league, but George and Sexton should still be able to fill the box score on Saturday night, as the Rockets also like to push the pace.