When the season began, analysts throughout the country linked the Jazz and the Pacers. Many saw them as similar teams, ones with a bunch of high-level assets but lacking a star — which put them closer to the No. 1 overall pick than a playoff spot.
Yet for much of the season, the Jazz and Pacers have defied the odds — identifying an All-Star on each roster, jumping out to hot starts before regressing over the past month or so.
Utah is still firmly in the Western Conference playoff picture, in 11th place, but sitting just three games out of the No. 4 seed. Meanwhile, Indiana has dropped all the way to 12th in the East but remain just 2.5 games behind the 9-seed.
For the Jazz, Lauri Markkanen has emerged as a bonafide All-Star after a breakout season in which he's averaging career-highs across the board. He was named to his first All-Star game and was chosen as a starter after Zion Williamson had to pull out due to injury.
"Extremely happy. ... Excited. That's kind of — on a personal level — what you've been working for," Markkanen said. "You remember everything you've gone through in your journey, and everything happens for a reason. ... I was so happy when it happened, but then slowly started thinking of the stuff I had to go through to get here."
The honor is incredibly well deserved as Markkanen is having a breakout season as Utah's No. 1 option, emerging as one of the top players in the league thanks to his unique skillset as an athletic 7-footer. He's averaging career-highs in points (24.7), shot attempts (16.1), field goal percentage (51.8%), three-point percentage (42.3%), assists (1.7), minutes (34.2), and effective field goal percentage (61.8%). He's also averaging 8.6 rebounds per game, the second-most in his career.
"When other teams play the Utah Jazz they know they have to game plan for Lauri Markkanen," head coach Will Hardy said. "I don't think that there's a whole lot that I need to say that his play hasn't said already."
Tyrese Haliburton has been better than expected for the Pacers since Indiana traded him for Domantas Sabonis (another All-Star) last year.
In his fourth season, he is averaging career-highs in points (19.8), assists (10.1), and steals (1.8). He's also averaging 3.9 rebounds and shooting 48.0% from the field and 39.9% from deep. He also has been named to the All-star game.
While the Pacers have lost four in a row — causing the fall in the standings — the Jazz have played .500 ball over the past few weeks.
"I still like our group of guys," Lauri Markkanen said. "We can get a lot better with this team. … I believe in this team that we can do big things, we've just gotta get back on that practice court and get better. Just the group of guys that we have here, it's gonna create positive, so that's not going to change."
"Building good habits, trying to compete still, trying to win games," Clarkson added.
STATS
Utah (28-30, 10-18 away / No. 11 Western Conference)
Offense
*117.6 Points Per Game (No. 4 in NBA)
*116.8 Offensive Rating (No. 4 in NBA)
Defense
*117.2 Points Per Game (No. 24 in NBA)
*116.1 Defensive Rating (No. 26 in NBA)
Individual
*Lauri Markkanen: 24.8 points | 8.5 rebounds | 1.8 assists | 41.8% 3P-shooting
*Jordan Clarkson: 20.9 points | 4.2 assists | 4.0 rebounds | 34.0% 3P-shooting
*Collin Sexton: 14.5 points | 2.8 assists | 2.3 rebounds | 41.7% 3P-shooting
*Kelly Olynyk: 11.7 points | 5.0 rebounds | 3.3 assists | 38.9% 3P-shooting
Indiana (25-33, 17-13 home / No. 12 Eastern Conference)
Offense
*114.1 Points Per Game (No. 14 in NBA)
*112.3 Offensive Rating (No. 22 in NBA)
Defense
*117.1 Points Per Game (No. 22 in NBA)
*115.1 Defensive Rating (No. 24 in NBA)
Individual
*Tyrese Haliburton: 19.8 points | 10.1 assists | 3.9 rebounds | 39.9% 3P-shooting
*Myles Turner: 17.6 points | 7.9 rebounds | 2.3 blocks | 38.7% 3P-shooting
*Buddy Hield: 17.5 points | 5.0 rebounds | 42.8% 3P-shooting
*Bennedict Mathurin: 17.2 points | 4.1 rebounds
KEY MATCHUP
*Talen Horton-Tcker vs. Bennedict Mathurin
— Horton-Tucker has shown moments of greatness, most notably over the last three games, where he's averaging 15.7 points, 7.0 assists, and 3.3 rebounds off the bench. Meanwhile, Mathurin gives Utah a huge spark off the bench by averaging 17.2 bench points per game. With the starting lineups evenly-matched, the deciding factor could come down to Horton-Tucker vs. Mathurin.
INJURY REPORT
Utah
OUT | Micah Potter (G League - Two-Way)
OUT | Russell Westbrook (trade pending)
Indiana
QUESTIONABLE | Kendall Brown (G League - Two-Way)
QUESTIONABLE | Tyrese Haliburton (left thigh contusion)
QUESTIONABLE | Trevelin Queen (G League - Two-Way)
QUESTIONABLE | Myles Turner (lower back soreness)
BROADCAST INFORMATION
Time: 5:00 p.m. MT
Location: Gainbridge Fieldhouse |Indianapolis, IN
TV: AT&T SportsNet
Radio: The Zone Sports Network