Houston Rockets vs Utah Jazz: Injury Report, Predicted Lineups and Starting 5s - May 8th, 2021 | NBA Season 2020-21
The Utah Jazz will look to continue their winning ways in the 2020-21 NBA when they host the Houston Rockets at the Vivint Arena on Saturday.
The Jazz are on a four-game winning streak, while the Rockets have lost four on the trot. The Utah Jazz are tied with the Phoenix Suns for first place in the Western Conference, so this match will be a tie-breaker of sorts to separate the two teams.
Meanwhile, the Houston Rockets are at the bottom of the conference standings and are aiming for a high pick in the upcoming 2021 NBA Draft.
They've fully committed to a rebuild and will look to grab a high prospect in the loaded and deep 2021 NBA Draft class. They have a 52.1% chance of getting a top-4 pick and a 14% shot at getting the coveted 1st overall pick.
Houston Rockets vs Utah Jazz: Injury Report
Houston Rockets
The rebuilding Houston Rockets have a bevy of players out of their lineup for this game.
Sterling Brown (left knee soreness) and DJ Wilson (health and safety protocols) are unavailable, while John Wall (right hamstring strain), Eric Gordon (right groin strain), Dante Exum (left calf strain) and David Nwaba (right wrist sprain) have been ruled out for the rest of the season.
Christian Wood (right ankle soreness), Avery Bradley (personal reasons), Kevin Porter Jr. (left ankle sprain) and Jae'Sean Tate (left knee contusion) are all listed as questionable for this game.
Danuel House Jr. (right ankle sprain), Kelly Olynyk (right ankle soreness) and DJ Augustin (left ankle sprain) are all dealing with injuries but are expected to be available for the Jazz game.
Utah Jazz
Mike Conley and Donovan Mitchell continue to be out due to right hamstring tightness and right ankle sprain, respectively.
Mitchell is expected to be out for another week, while Conley looks set to miss his seventh straight game. Juwan Morgan missed the last game against Denver and is listed as 'day to day' for this game, as he is suffering from soreness in his right heel.
Houston Rockets vs Utah Jazz: Predicted Lineups
Houston Rockets
Considering they have a largely injury-riddled roster, the Houston Rockets could have a tough time with their rotations.
DJ Augustin is expected to start as the point guard, with Armoni Brooks starting as the two-guard. Sterling Brown, John Wall, Kevin Porter Jr. and Avery Bradley are all out of the backcourt rotation, though.
Danuel House Jr. is expected to start in place of Jae'Sean Tate as the small forward, while Kenyon Martin Jr. will likely be the power forward. Kelly Olynyk is expected to start as the center for this game if Christian Wood doesn't lace up.
Utah Jazz
Joe Ingles started as the point guard for the Utah Jazz in their last game and is expected to do so in this matchup as well.
Royce O'Neale has been starting as the shooting guard in place of Donovan Mitchell of late, while the rest of the lineup is likely to remain unchanged.
Rudy Gobert could be the center, and Bojan Bogdanovic is likely to be the small forward. The power forward could be Georges Niang, who started in the game against Denver.
Jordan Clarkson has made a strong case for making the 'Sixth Man of the Year' award and could play a key role off the bench once again.
Houston Rockets vs Utah Jazz: Predicted Starting 5s
Houston Rockets
Point Guard - DJ Augustin | Shooting Guard - Armoni Brooks | Small Forward - Danuel House Jr. | Power Forward - Kenyon Martin Jr. | Center - Kelly Olynyk.
Utah Jazz
Point Guard - Joe Ingles | Shooting Guard - Royce O'Neale | Small Forward - Bojan Bogdanovic | Power Forward - Georges Niang | Center - Rudy Gobert.
Also Read: Why the Utah Jazz are destined for an early playoff exit despite an emphatic regular season | 2020-21 NBA Season.