The Utah Jazz visit the Oklahoma City Thunder on Wednesday, January 7, with tipoff at 8:00 p.m. ET at Paycom Center. Utah sits at 12-23, while Oklahoma City holds a league-leading 30-7 record.
Utah’s injury list is extensive, with Walker Kessler out recovering from a left shoulder injury and Georges Niang sidelined with a left foot stress reaction. Kevin Love is resting, Elijah Harkless remains out on a G League two-way assignment, and Ace Bailey is questionable with a left hip flexor strain.
Lauri Markkanen (27.7 points, 6.8 rebounds) and Keyonte George (24.3 points, 6.8 assists) will shoulder most of the scoring load for the Jazz. Jusuf Nurkic contributes 10.3 points and 9.6 rebounds, while Svi Mykhailiuk adds perimeter shooting with 9.0 points per game.
Oklahoma City also faces key absences, with Alex Caruso out due to low back soreness and Ousmane Dieng sidelined with a right calf strain. Isaiah Hartenstein, Thomas Sorber, Nikola Topic, and Jaylin Williams remain out due to injuries or surgical recovery, and Shai Gilgeous-Alexander is listed as questionable with right knee bursitis.
The Thunder rely on Gilgeous-Alexander (31.6 points, 6.4 assists) and Chet Holmgren (18.1 points, 8.2 rebounds, 1.8 blocks) for scoring and defensive presence. Jalen Williams adds 17.2 points per game, while Ajay Mitchell and Isaiah Joe provide depth and perimeter shooting.
Utah is on a four-game losing streak after defeats at Portland and Golden State, while Oklahoma City has dropped back-to-back games following losses to Charlotte and Phoenix. The Thunder swept both season matchups in Utah, winning 144-112 on November 21 and 131-101 on December 7.
