Utah Jazz

Walker Kessler

UTA

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Sits out Friday

Though the Jazz made Kessler active for the contest, the third-year center unexpectedly ceded his spot on the top unit to Kyle Filipowski after starting in each of his first 50 appearances on the season. Utah ended up choosing to hold Kessler out for the game, and head coach Will Hardy also limited playing time for other key regulars such as Lauri Markkanen (19 minutes) and Collin Sexton (20 minutes). At this point in the season, the 15-52 Jazz have shown no hesitation about putting non-competitive lineups on the floor as they look to improve their odds in the draft lottery, so Kessler could be subject to more absences over the next month even though he's ostensibly healthy.

Mar 15, 15:02

Jaden Springer

UTA

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Re-enters rotation Friday

Springer had missed three straight games due to lower-back soreness, but he was cleared to play in both of Utah's last two contests prior to Friday. He didn't appear in either of the previous two games in coach's decisions, but the Jazz opened up a spot in the rotation for Springer on Friday after John Collins (ankle) was ruled out. Collins is expected to miss the next two weeks, but if Keyonte George (foot) is ready to go for the Jazz's next game Sunday in Minnesota, Springer would be at risk of dropping back out of the head coach Will Hardy's 10-man rotation.

Mar 15, 14:55

Kyle Filipowski

UTA

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Double-double in Friday's loss

The double-double was his eighth of the season, six of which have come in the last 14 games. Filipowski is averaging 15.4 points, 7.7 boards, 2.5 assists, 2.1 threes and 0.8 steals in 24.6 minutes a contest over that span while shooting 54.2 percent from the floor and 48.3 percent from beyond the arc. Walker Kessler is getting frequent rests while the Jazz try to secure the NBA's worst record and hasn't played more than three games in a row since early February, so Filipowski's workload could continue to rise over the final weeks of the campaign.

Mar 15, 10:57

Lauri Markkanen

UTA

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Sits in second half Friday

The 27-year-old forward didn't play a minute in the second half, but there's been no indication from the Jazz that Markkanen aggravated the back injury that cost him nine games from late February into March, so the decision can be chalked up to workload-related reasons. With Utah locked in a race to the bottom with Washington for the worst record in the league, it wouldn't be a surprise if Markkanen's rests got more frequent down the stretch.

Mar 15, 10:53

Jordan Clarkson

UTA

Active

Paces Utah in Friday's loss

The veteran guard led the Jazz in scoring on a night when Walker Kessler and John Collins (ankle) didn't play, and Lauri Markkanen got the entire second half off. Clarkson just returned from a seven-game absence due to a foot injury himself, and in two appearances since rejoining the lineup he's seen a slightly reduced workload as Utah focuses on trying to secure the worst record in the NBA.

Mar 15, 10:49