Utah Jazz square off against the Portland Trail Blazers in SLC: preview, injuries, how to watch

SB Nation

When will the madness end? The Utah Jazz are 2-1 to open the 2025-26 NBA season, having only lost one game by a single point on the year. Walker Kessler hasn’t missed a three-pointer, nor has he missed from

anywhere else on the floor. Lauri Markkanen and his granite biceps chistled by Finnish Michelangelo himself (would that be Wäinö Aaltonen? Maybe I’m not the right person to discuss Finnish sculptors and art history) stamped 51 points on the heads of the Phoenix Suns, marking the first time since Karl Malone in 1998 that a Jazzman had eclipsed the half-century mark on the box score.

What fresh hell awaits proponents of the tank? Those who pledge allegiance to the art of losing basketball games must be most displeased with their team’s proclivity to win basketball games and further damage their chances of signing one of Cam Boozer, AJ Dybantsa, or Darryn Peterson.

But two wins do not a season make, and the Jazz will have another clash loaded up as they host their division rivals (divisions, remember those?), the Portland Trail Blazers, on Wednesday night in Salt Lake City’s Delta Center.

Portland will be without Scoot Henderson, Damian Lillard, and Robert Williams III for this one, with defensive specialist Mattise Thybulle listed as questionable in the most recent injury report.

This feels like an opportune moment to pull out the Utah Jazz side of the injury listings, where you won’t find many surprises. Isaiah Collier and Georges Niang remain out with the same ailments that have kept them street clothes-bound courtside all season. Though Jusuf Nurkic is a new addition, thanks to a recently received hip contusion. He’s listed as questionable to appear in action.

Portland will be favored in this one, as they enter with a 2-2 record and a host of experienced and grizzled players populating their roster. In place of DeAndre Ayton, who’s being himself in Los Angeles, they’ve got big-bodied Donovan Clingan. In place of Anfernee Simons, they’re running with Jrue Holiday (who’s averaging a very nice 7.6 assists per game). Deni Avdija leads all scorers with 23.5 points per contest. Shaedon Sharpe — my beloved walking highlight film — will suit up to soar in this one, and if you’re lucky, you may even get a glimpse of Yang Hansen, Portland’s shocking first-round draft pickup, who has won the hearts of the nation with his amazing playmaking skills, which were on full display at the NBA Draft Combine.

So yeah, be there or be square.