facebook-pixel

Jazz shootaround: Stop us if you've heard this one before — injuries are mounting for the Jazz

(Trent Nelson | The Salt Lake Tribune) Utah Jazz guard Ricky Rubio (3) shoots as the Utah Jazz host the Denver Nuggets, NBA basketball in Salt Lake City, Wednesday October 18, 2017.


New York • Over two years, the Jazz have consistently been one of the most injured teams in the NBA.

That trend seems to be continuing this season.

Ahead of Friday night’s matchup against the Brooklyn Nets at the Barclays Center, Utah’s injury report reads like a walking M.A.S.H unit.

• Dante Exum, out.

• Joe Johnson, out.

• Rudy Gobert, out.

• Ricky Rubio, out.

• Thabo Sefolosha, questionable.

So, if you’re counting at home, here’s what it means Friday night. The Jazz will be missing their best player, their most consistent bench scorer and both point guards. They may also be missing their best perimeter defender. That’s at least four rotation players and potentially five that won’t be playing in a game the Jazz really need to win.

Friday is the only game of the current road trip the Jazz can look at and confidently call themselves favorites. Now, with their injury list, their advantage on the interior and on the perimeter may be significantly decreased.

So, what happens with Rubio out? Utah can do a few things. Coach Quin Snyder can slide Donovan Mitchell over to the point guard slot, move Rodney Hood into the starting lineup and Joe Ingles down to the small ball power forward slot. Or, Snyder can keep Hood as his sixth man - that move has worked really well for Hood — and insert Raul Neto into the starting lineup, and continue to use Mitchell as his starting shooting guard and backup point guard.

Also, the Jazz have recalled two-way point guard Nate Wolters and he will be available for Friday night’s game. He’s played very well so far for the Stars. The Jazz enter Friday night with a 6-9 record and having lost six of their last seven games.