Dok, Butler In Protocol, Ingles Exits As Jazz Face Pistons
Jan 10, 2022, 1:39 PM
Utah Jazz forward Bojan Bogdanovic defended by Detroit Pistons center Isaiah Stewart. (Photo by Alex Goodlett/Getty Images)
(Photo by Alex Goodlett/Getty Images)
SALT LAKE CITY – The Utah Jazz will once again be shorthanded when they face the Detroit Pistons to wrap up their five-game road trip.
The Jazz opened the trip with consecutive wins over the New Orleans Pelicans and Denver Nuggets before dropping games in Toronto and Indiana over the weekend.
The Pistons meanwhile have won three of their last five games as they prepare to host the Jazz.
Covid Carousel Crushing Jazz
After capping off their 10-game road win streak with victories over the Pelicans and Nuggets, the Jazz found themselves remarkably shorthanded in losses to the Raptors and Pacers.
Eight of the team’s top nine rotation players were out against Toronto as the Jazz fell 122-108 to the more experienced Raptors on Friday.
In Indiana on Saturday, the Jazz saw the return of Mike Conley, Donovan Mitchell, Jordan Clarkson, Bojan Bogdanovic, and Royce O’Neale, but fell to the Pacers 125-113 to drop to an even 2-2 on to open their road trip.
Jazz Injury Report (as of 1/10):
*OUT – Jared Butler (Health & Safety Protocols)
OUT – Joe Ingles (Health & Safety protocols)
OUT – Rudy Gobert (Health & Safety Protocols)
OUT – Elijah Hughes (Health & Safety Protocols)
OUT – Rudy Gay (Health & Safety Protocols)
— Utah Jazz (@utahjazz) January 10, 2022
The Jazz have seen more names scratched ahead of their matchup with the Pistons as second-year center Udoka Azubuike and rookie Jared Butler joined the health and safety protocol on Monday.
On Sunday both Rudy Gay and Elijah Hughes were added to the COVID list joining star center Rudy Gobert.
Joe Ingles who was the first Jazz player to find his name on the COVID list left the team’s health and safety protocol before facing the Pistons but remains out due to “return to competition reconditioning” according to the team.
In wake of the COVID outbreak, the Jazz have signed free agents Danuel House Jr., Norvel Pelle, and most recently Denzel Valentine who are with the team in Detroit.
Pistons Playing Improved Basketball
The Pistons are one of the few teams in the NBA currently that aren’t playing shorthanded due to COVID-19, though head coach Dwayne Casey will not be with the team against the Jazz due to the virus.
However, the Pistons will be without Jerami Grant, Frank Jackson, and Kelly Olynyk who are battling various injuries.
#VictorySunday mood after the #Pistons and @Lions both won this weekend: pic.twitter.com/uwM9WHIpNB
— Detroit Pistons (@DetroitPistons) January 9, 2022
The Pistons have won three of their last five games including a victory Saturday night against the Orlando Magic.
For the season, number overall pick Cade Cunningham is averaging 15.2 points, 5.9 rebounds, and 5.3 assists for the Pistons.
Broadcast
The Jazz and Pistons will tip-off at 5 pm MT and can be heard on KSL NewsRadio and The Zone Sports Network. The game will be televised on AT&T SportsNet and FuboTV.
