Utah Jazz forward Lauri Markkanen has been ruled out for Thursday’s game against the visiting New Orleans Pelicans due to a right hip impingement and a right ankle sprain.
Markkanen initially was listed as questionable after sustaining his injuries during practice on Wednesday.
He scored 29 points in Utah’s 125-105 loss to the Houston Rockets on Monday, He is averaging 26.7 points, 6.9 rebounds and 2.1 assists in 42 games (all starts) this season.
Signed to a four-year, $195.9 million contract, Markkanen was named the NBA’s Most Improved Player in his first season with Utah in 2022-23 and earned his first All-Star selection that same campaign.
A first-round pick (No. 7 overall) in the 2017 NBA Draft, Markkanen has career averages of 18.9 points and 7.1 rebounds in 492 games (466 starts) with the Chicago Bulls (2017-21), Cleveland Cavaliers (2021-22) and Jazz.
