Lauri Markkanen goes out with knee damage in turnover-laden loss to Spurs

There was solely 150 seconds left within the sport between the Utah Jazz and San Antonio Spurs when Victor Wembanyama caught the ball on the proper elbow and determined to drive in in opposition to Lauri Markkanen. However earlier than Wembanyama may get any momentum, his left knee crashed into the within of Markkanen’s left knee and the Jazz man went straight to the ground, writhing in ache.

The coaching employees was instantly known as out to the court docket. Markkanen was finally helped to the locker room by a few teammates and was dominated out for the remainder of the sport with a left knee contusion. After the sport he gave the impression to be in good spirits as he was receiving therapy on the swollen knee at his locker after the sport.

No dedication has been made about Markkanen’s availability for tomorrow evening’s sport in opposition to the Denver Nuggets, however I’d be shocked if he performed. The Jazz have been extremely cautious with accidents and there wouldn’t be any purpose for Markkanen to play by way of ache.

However the damage to Markkanen was the capper on an evening that showcased one of many Jazz’s most flawed traits — their penchant for turnovers. They dedicated 21 turnovers that the Spurs transformed into 33 factors.

“One other evening the place now we have 20-plus turnovers,” Jazz head coach Will Hardy stated. “It’s simply laborious to win. The maths is in opposition to you in these moments.”

That’s been the case for almost all of the season. Certain, it is a younger Jazz staff and the explanations that they aren’t good or don’t win video games are quite a few, however they’re additionally lifeless final within the league in turnovers. They’re averaging 18.3 turnovers per sport and what’s worse is that there isn’t anyone sort of turnover that they commit a lot greater than others. If that was the case, then discovering a remedy could be somewhat simpler. However the Jazz commit every kind of turnovers.

“Now we have method too many turnovers dribbling in a crowd. Now we have method too many turnovers getting stripped one-on-one. After which now we have too many go and catch turnovers,” Hardy stated. “Nevertheless it’s everyone’s duty to deal with the ball. It’s laborious as a result of I want, we want that it was like one class…Nevertheless it’s not. We get stripped 3 times one-on-one, we dribble right into a crowd 4 instances, we dribble our foot as soon as…two transferring screens. It’s an appetizer sampler of turnovers.”

Keyonte George, John Collins and Collin Sexton have been the Jazz’s largest culprits with regards to turnovers, however that’s to not say that they’re at all times the gamers with essentially the most egregious ones. It actually depends upon the sport.

Towards the Spurs on Tuesday evening, George completed with six turnovers, Drew Eubanks had 4 turnovers and there have been three different gamers with three turnovers.

What’s most regarding are the stay ball turnovers, that are ones that often find yourself in transition buckets for the opposite staff, and that’s the place George leads the pack.

Since he’s the participant with the ball in his fingers more often than not that is smart. It additionally is smart that one of many youthful gamers on the staff is committing essentially the most stay ball turnovers. And it makes much more sense as a result of he’s not a pure level guard. However nonetheless, there must be an effort to wash these performs up.

“We’ve received to do the little issues,” Hardy stated. “Setting your man up while you’re going to get a catch. In case you’re speculated to catch it on the elbow, we have to be sturdy. Catch the ball with two fingers. The blokes which have the ball, set your man up, go faux, then throw. There’s all these little issues that add up. However I don’t suppose that these issues are a long run subject. These are habits that may be constructed.”