Lauri Markkanen
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Lauri Markkanen of the Utah Jazz is having an All-Star caliber season.
The Utah Jazz have been playing without Lauri Markkanen since January 14 due to an unspecified illness. Markkanen has missed the last seven games, with the Jazz winning just one of them.
Markkanen has been one of the few bright spots for the Jazz this season. He’s averaging 27.9 points, 7.2 rebounds, 2.2 assists and 1.0 steals per game. He’s shooting 48.3% from the field, 36.5% from 3-point range and 88.4% from the free-throw line.
According to the Jazz’s previous injury reports, Markkanen was cleared of his illness on January 22. However, the team wanted him to be back at his best and put him under reconditioning.
Jazz beat reporter Andy Larsen of The Salt Lake Tribune tweeted that Markkanen was part of the team’s practice on Monday. He is expected to get the green light to make his return on Tuesday against the Los Angeles Clippers.
The Jazz are in the middle of a six-game homestand, so Markkanen will likely receive a warm welcome from the Delta Center crowd.
Markkanen Opens Up About Illness
Speaking to reporters after Monday’s practice, Lauri Markkanen was asked about how he’s feeling after being down with illness over the past two weeks. Markkanen recalled his ordeal and urged people to stay healthy because his body endured a lot.
“Just six days of probably not leaving the house, just laying down and lost 10 whatever pounds. I’m kind of working my way back, so it’s not just a fun process, and it sucks to be missing out that many games and not being out there with your teammates. But it’s a part of life, so I’m happy to be in this position though. Excited to have our practice today, and it was fun to compete again,” Markkanen said.
Markkanen also confirmed that he had a bad case of the flu, and it came at a bad time since the Jazz were just starting to have some momentum and chemistry. He’s just happy to be back, but there were some hiccups along the way to a full recovery.
The Jazz have a really solid core of young players alongside Markkanen, like Keyonte George, Ace Bailey, Walker Kessler, Taylor Hendricks, Isaiah Collier and Brice Sensabaugh.
Will Markkanen Get Named an All-Star?
It’s safe to say that the Western Conference is loaded with talent this season. It would be hard for Lauri Markkanen to get his second All-Star nod, but he has a chance since he’s currently ninth in scoring at 27.9 points per game.
The West starters are Luka Doncic, Nikola Jokic, Victor Wembanyama, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and Steph Curry. The reserves will be announced on February 1, but players like Anthony Edwards, Kawhi Leonard, Devin Booker, Jamal Murray and Kevin Durant are locks, as per Go PHNX.
Chet Holmgren has a shot, too, since the Oklahoma City Thunder are atop the NBA standings. That means there’s one spot left in the West, which will likely come down to Deni Avdija, Alperen Sengun, Austin Reaves, and possibly LeBron James.
Markkanen is at a disadvantage since the Jazz are 13th in the West. If he were American, he would have a better chance since there are two USA teams in this year’s All-Star Game under the new format.