Keyonte George’s return to the starting lineup has struck a positive note for the Utah Jazz heading into Monday’s clash with the Denver Nuggets in Salt Lake City.
George was back in action in Saturday’s 115-105 loss to New Orleans after missing a total of nine games with two different ankle injuries. He played only 23 minutes and finished with 17 points on 4-of-11 shooting. Still, just having him playing basketball again will mean good things for an injury-plagued Jazz team playing without multiple offensive stars in recent games.
Even while his shooting didn’t reach his preferred standards, George said his ankle felt healthy and strong.
“I feel like my pop was there. I didn’t want to force anything,” George told The Salt Lake Tribune after the game. “I just wanted to play the game. I feel like I did a decent job tonight.”
George played on a minutes restriction against New Orleans. He will keep taking a cautious approach against Denver.
Keeping George healthy is a concern for a short-handed Utah team. Since the NBA trade deadline, Jaren Jackson Jr. and Jusuf Nurkic both had season-ending surgeries. Vince Williams Jr. was lost for the season with a torn ACL. Lauri Markkanen will be out at least two weeks after suffering a hip injury in practice.
“Making shots, missing shots, it’s not anything that’s in question for me,” Jazz coach Will Hardy told the Salt Lake Tribune. “I just want to see him exert himself physically and competitively.”
Injured star Aaron Gordon could make his return for Denver when the Nuggets face Utah. Gordon has missed 15 straight games because of a hamstring strain and did not play in Denver’s 117-108 loss to Minnesota on Sunday. He has appeared in only 23 games this season due to injuries, but is expected to be back on the court this week.
Gordon’s presence might offer a boost to the Nuggets, who have dropped two straight games and have one win in their last four road contests.
Jokic narrowly avoided joining him on the sidelines on Friday after being tripped by Oklahoma City guard Lu Dort while jogging up the court. Dort and Jokic had a brief altercation before Dort was given a flagrant two foul and ejected.
“Unnecessary move and a necessary reaction,” Jokic told the Denver Post on Friday. “There is no such thing — I think there’s not supposed to be those things on a basketball floor. So it was just an unnecessary move (by Dort) and a necessary reaction by me.”
Jokic showed no ill effects from the fall when he played against the Timberwolves on Sunday.
The former NBA MVP finished with 35 points on 15-of-26 shooting, 13 rebounds, nine assists, and two blocks. He has scored at least 30 points in four of his last five games and has had 12 or more rebounds in four consecutive contests.
Denver and Utah met once previously this season with the Nuggets winning 135-112 after scoring the game’s first 19 points.
