The Utah Jazz visit the Houston Rockets on Monday, February 23, at the Toyota Center with multiple roster questions.
Utah will be without Jusuf Nurkic (nose injury), Walker Kessler (left shoulder), and Jaren Jackson Jr. (left knee), while Lauri Markkanen is listed as probable due to illness. Keyonte George remains questionable with a right ankle sprain.
Houston faces its own challenges, missing Steven Adams (left ankle surgery), Fred VanVleet (right knee ACL repair), and Jae’Sean Tate (right knee sprain). Tristen Newton is unavailable while on a two-way G League assignment.
Utah has struggled to find consistency this season, holding a 18-39 record and sitting 13th in the Western Conference. Markkanen leads the Jazz with 26.7 points and 7.0 rebounds per game, while George averages 23.8 points and 6.5 assists.
Houston is 34-21 and occupies fourth place in the West. Durant averages 26.1 points and 4.4 assists per game, while Alperen Sengun contributes 20.4 points and 9.1 rebounds. Amen Thompson adds 17.4 points and 5.4 assists, and Jabari Smith Jr. chips in 15.3 points per night.
The two teams split earlier meetings this season, with Houston taking the first matchup 129-101 and Utah winning 133-125 in the return. Both contests highlighted scoring bursts from each team’s star players, while defensive rotations suffered due to injuries and lineup adjustments.
Recent form favors Houston slightly; the Rockets have gone 1-1 in their last two games, including a narrow 106-108 loss at New York and a 105-101 victory at Charlotte.
The Jazz have lost consecutive games, dropping 114-123 at Memphis and 119-135 at home to Portland.
