Since December, Jazz PF Lauri Markkanen has missed six of 20 games. After missing the Jan. 10 game for rest, Utah’s leading scorer returned to the lineup on Monday.
However, Markkanen (illness) is back on the injury report for tonight’s Utah Jazz vs. Chicago Bulls matchup — a revenge game for the Finnish forward.
What’s the latest Lauri Markkanen injury update for Wednesday, January 14? Below, we’ll break down how a potential Markkanen absence impacts player projections on PrizePicks.
{{nba_offer_banner="/style-system/ui-components-playbook"}}
Lauri Markkanen Injury Update vs. Bulls Tonight
The Jazz’s star forward began the morning questionable, but his injury status as since been downgraded to doubtful.
Since December, Utah has a 0-6 record when Markkanen is out of the lineup. That’s in line with PrizePicks Team Picks listing the Jazz as 5.5-point underdogs while returning a 2.43x payout with a win.
The one-time All-Star leads Utah with 27.9 points per game (PPG) and ranks second on the squad in usage rate (27.9%), via FantasyLabs. His 19.7 field goal attempts and 8.0 3-point shots per contest also top the Jazz rotation.
Markkanen has upped the ante in January, posting 29.4 PPG while shooting 53.3% from the field. This is already a thin frontcourt, as Utah PF Kevin Love (rest), SF Georges Niang (foot), and C Walker Kessler (shoulder) are out tonight.
If the Jazz’s top scorer misses his second game over the last week, who could step up vs. the Bulls?
Jazz’s Fantasy Impact If Markkanen is Out vs. Bulls
When Markkanen is off the court, Utah C Jusuf Nurkic sees the largest increase in usage rate, going from 18.6% to 22.2% (+3.6%).
With the Jazz potentially missing four contributors in the frontcourt, Nurkic's production will be needed. He also carries a favorable matchup against the Bulls, who rank 26th in defensive rating.
According to NBA Advanced Stats, Chicago cedes 53.6 points in the paint per contest (26th). Plus, Dunks & Threes ranks the unit 29th in shot distribution around the rim allowed.
Nurkic records only 1.6 3-point shots per game while taking 75.2% of his shots around the rim. Utah could lean on its starting center on Wednesday, with a thin frontcourt in a plus matchup.
Jusuf Nurkic vs. Bulls Projections, Picks
Here’s the latest projections for Nurkic’s matchup with the Bulls on Wednesday, via PrizePicks.
- 13.5 Points
- 29.5 Pts+Rebs+Asts
- 11 Rebounds
- 38.5 Fantasy Score
{{nba_offer_banner="/style-system/ui-components-playbook"}}
Make NBA Picks on PrizePicks
Markkanen is tracking toward another absence, meaning the Jazz will be without four regular contributors in the frontcourt.
Nurkic stands out as one of the familiar faces starting in the Jazz frontcourt, and he gets a favorable matchup against a weak Bulls interior defense.
You can make your Jazz vs. Bulls picks on PrizePicks and PrizePicks Team Picks and earn real money. Just pick players, predict More or Less on their projected stats, and cash in if you’re correct.
With Team Picks, make predictions on winners, spreads, and over/unders, now available in 30 states.
Keep it right here with the Playbook for continued NBA picks, predictions, and news every day.
Team Picks and Culture Picks are event contracts offered by Performance Predictions II, LLC d/b/a PrizePicks Predict, a CFTC-registered FCM and NFA Member. All event contract customers must be U.S. residents and 18+. Some event contracts may not be available in every state. Event contract trading carries significant risk and is not appropriate for everyone. No guarantee against loss is offered. Past results are not necessarily indicative of future results. Void where prohibited by law. Restrictions apply. For full terms of service see prizepicks.com/predict-regulatory. Team and Culture Pick Early Payouts subject to market liquidity. The content provided is for informational and educational purposes only and does not constitute investment advice, or a recommendation to trade any commodity interest.
