This is an archived article that was published on sltrib.com in 2016, and information in the article may be outdated. It is provided only for personal research purposes and may not be reprinted.
One team is statistically the most injured group in the NBA. And true to form, the Utah Jazz will play on Thursday night without Rodney Hood, George Hill, Derrick Favors and Alec Burks.
The other team will be playing on the tail end of a back-to-back. And even if the Golden State Warriors don't fall victim to fatigue, coach Steve Kerr said on Wednesday he will likely rest some people during his current road trip, which features five games in seven nights.
In short, maybe the most anticipated home game of the season for the Jazz could turn out to be a dud.
Golden State plays the Los Angeles Clippers on Wednesday night, in a game that promises to be a grind. The Jazz simply can't seem to get healthy, and they took another hit on Tuesday night when Hood left a win over the Phoenix Suns with a strained hamstring.
As a result, the Jazz are going to need to have a special night on both ends of the floor on Thursday if they want to be competitive against the best team in the NBA.
Hood's absence puts significant pressure on Gordon Hayward to produce at a high rate. With Hood out, either Joe Ingles or Joe Johnson figures to be the starter at the other wing. Dante Exum figures to be the starting point guard.
Utah enters Thursday night having won seven of its past eight games. The Jazz are 14-9 on the season, and in seventh place in the Western Conference.