Despite having a 2-0 series lead against the Los Angeles Clippers, the Utah Jazz are now down 3-2 to a team that is operating without Kawhi Leonard. It has been a rough few games especially with Donovan Mitchell getting injured. His ankle has been acting up over the last few outings and it’s clear that he hasn’t been playing at 100 percent. This has allowed the Clippers to push the Jazz to the brink of elimination, and if Mitchell isn’t back tonight, the Jazz are at risk of being bounced out early.
The Jazz have also been without Mike Conley who is their starting point guard. His hamstring issues have kept him out of the playoffs and if there was a time where the Jazz could use him, it would be right now. According to Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN, Conley is likely going to be in the lineup tonight, while Mitchell is a game-time decision.
In the playoffs, a game-time decision usually means the player is going to be in the lineup, especially when you consider the stakes. However, this isn’t always what’s best for a player’s health, as we’ve seen players like Anthony Davis become liabilities while trying to play through an injury.
Hopefully, both Jazz players are ready to go, and we can get a true sense of what this Utah team is made of.
