SALT LAKE CITY — The Utah Jazz faced off against the Denver Nuggets on Wednesday night without key players Lauri Markkanen and John Collins.


Markkanen was absent for personal reasons and has now missed four games this season. In a previous matchup against San Antonio, which ended in a 128-115 loss for the Jazz, he departed in the closing minutes due to a left knee contusion sustained during a knee-to-knee collision with Victor Wembanyama. This season, Markkanen has been contributing an average of 19.5 points and 6.6 rebounds over the course of 14 games.


Collins was also sidelined with a left knee contusion, marking the first game he missed after playing in the Jazz’s first 17 contests. While on the court, he averaged 17.9 points and 8.8 rebounds. His injury occurred just moments before Markkanen’s collision with Wembanyama, following a bump of knees with Markkanen.


In response to the absences of both players, the Jazz brought in Oscar Tshiebwe and Micah Potter from their G-League affiliate, the Salt Lake City Stars. The team was already dealing with injuries to players such as Jordan Clarkson, Kyle Filipowski, and Taylor Hendricks.


Head coach Will Hardy emphasized the importance of adapting to challenges, stating, “These are the nights where you just have to lean into the adversity and say, ‘Okay, here’s a situation we didn’t plan for, and we need to try to emphasize everyone’s strengths even more.’”


To mitigate the impact of losing Markkanen and Collins, Hardy indicated that he would consider utilizing some unconventional lineups when facing the Nuggets.