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Utah Jazz forward Lauri Markkanen out at least a month with 2 broken bones in hand
A professional basketball player will miss at least one month; the athlete suffered two fractures in his right hand
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SALT LAKE CITY (AP) — Utah Jazz forward Lauri Markkanen will miss at least a month with two nondisplaced fractures in his right hand.
Markkanen suffered the injury during Utah's game against the Dallas Mavericks on Nov. 6 and will be reevaluated in four weeks, the Jazz announced Wednesday.
Markkanen is averaging 18.0 points, 6.8 rebounds and 2.0 assists in eight games.
“There's no replacing Lauri,” coach Will Hardy said. “I think we're going to have to do it in different ways. I think we need to maximize the skill sets of all the players that are playing.”
The 29-year-old Finnish forward is in his fifth season with Utah after four with Chicago and one with Cleveland. He was an All-Star in the 2022-23 season, his first with the Jazz, when he averaged 25.6 points and 8.6 rebounds and was named the NBA's Most Improved Player.
Injuries have plagued Markkanen throughout his career. He hasn't appeared in more than 66 games in a season since being traded from Cleveland to Utah. Markkanen played in only 89 total games over the last two seasons.
Utah has been hit hard by injuries early in the season, with forward Jaren Jackson Jr. (knee) and center Jusuf Nurkic (toe) out. The Jazz entered Wednesday night's game against Orlando with a 1-10 record.
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