The Utah Jazz sit atop the rankings of the Western Conference. With a 42-14 record, the Jazz has surprisingly been one of the best teams in the league. With a playoff berth nearly clinched already, it seems Utah is giving their star players a break for their upcoming matchup against the Los Angeles Lakers.
According to Adrian Wojnarowski, Rudy Gobert, Mike Conley Jr., and Derrick Favors will not participate in Saturday's contest opposite the Lakers.
Missed game is because of injury recovery for those three Jazz players.
— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) April 17, 2021
Donovan Mitchell fell to injury during Friday night's game again the Indiana Pacers, where he had to be helped off the court. The Jazz coaching staff wants to prevent any overexertion by giving their starting lineup a short break, as the other three players named are nursing subtle injuries as well, per Adrian Wojnarowski.
This is excellent news for the Lakers, as they're looking to climb the ranks without LeBron James and Anthony Davis in the lineup. With Utah's star players all sitting out, the Lakers squad might be able to steal a win on Saturday, potentially moving them closer to the fourth-place Denver Nuggets.
This game between the Jazz and Lakers should be interesting, as both organizations are essentially playing with their B teams. The timing is perfect for the Jazz, as even without their stars, they can still matchup against an equally depleted Lakers side.
With just 16 games left on Utah's schedule, they're bound to clinch a playoff berth soon. The goal is to secure home-court advantage, but the Jazz are playing it smart. Depending on how Saturday night's game goes, we could see Utah rest their starters again down the road.
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