Jazz PG Keyonte George has been active in 43-of-44 games for the Utah Jazz (15-29) this season, but he could miss his first game since January 1 on Thursday.
According to PrizePicks Team Picks, the Jazz are major 13.5-point underdogs for tonight’s 9:00 p.m. ET game vs. the San Antonio Spurs (30-15).
The third-year guard is a key cog of the offense, ranking second on the team in points per game (PPG) — only behind Lauri Markkanen, who is also out tonight — and first in assists per game (APG).
With the latest Keyonte George injury update in mind, let’s look at how a potential George absence would impact NBA picks and projections on PrizePicks, including G Brice Sensabaugh.
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Keyonte George Injury Update vs. Spurs Tonight
George (forearm) is officially questionable to play tonight on the NBA injury report.
Adding to the concern, Jazz PF Lauri Markkanen (conditioning) is out as he recovers from an illness. If the third-year guard is out, the Jazz would be without their top two scorers — a major reason they are such massive dogs.
This offense is already hard-pressed to put the ball in the basket, ranking in the bottom half with a 54.1% effective field goal percentage (18th). Markkanen (27.9 PPG) and George (24.4 PPG) combine for over 50 PPG.
The Baylor product also ranks second on Utah with 12.0 potential assists per game, via NBA Advanced Stats. George is also leading the Jazz in usage rate (28.3%).
George has upped the ante over the last six outings, posting 29.3 PPG compared to 24.4 on the season. PrizePicks has George projected to total 26.5 points for Thursday.
What Jazz Players Benefit if George is Out vs. Spurs?
In George’s sole absence of the season on January 1, the Jazz lost 118-101 against the Clippers. Markkanen was also out, leading to increased production from Jazz F Brice Sensabaugh, F Kyle Anderson, and G Isaiah Collier.
Among the three, Sensabaugh sees the largest increase in usage rate (+7.6%) when George and Markkanen are off the court. However, the former first-round pick has missed the last two games and is questionable (illness) for tonight.
If Sensabaugh is active, he’s been like the Human Torch over his last three games, averaging 31.7 PPG while shooting 61.5% from the field and 37.5% on 3-pointers. The Ohio State product’s 19.5 PPG in January is crushing his 11.7 PPG season-long average.
Sensabaugh’s 19.5-point projection on PrizePicks tonight is in line with his January averages.
Keyonte George vs. Spurs Stats, Projections
PrizePicks is forecasting another gaudy stat line for George on Thursday vs. the Spurs if he plays. You can pick More or Less on NBA player projections on PrizePicks to win real money if you're right.
- 26.5 Points
- 36 Pts+Rebs+Asts
- 6 Assists
- 19.5 Field Goals Attempted
- 39 Points Fantasy Score
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Make Thursday NBA Picks on PrizePicks
If George is out tonight, the Jazz could be in store for a blowout loss. However, there are still angles for value among player projections. Sensabaugh has thrived this month, and his usage has soared when Utah’s top two scorers are absent.
You can make your Spurs vs. Jazz picks on PrizePicks and earn real money. Just pick players, predict More or Less on their projected stats, and cash in if you’re correct.
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