Meet the Opponent: Utah Jazz, Off Big Win in Miami, Visit Battered Magic

The Orlando Magic will be without their top four scorers Sunday evening when the Utah Jazz visit the Kia Center.

Orlando Magic guard Cole Anthony (50) shoots the three pointer over Utah Jazz forward Luka Samanic (19) at Kia Center. / Jeremy Reper-Imagn Images

ORLANDO, Fla. – The Orlando Magic are no strangers to playing shorthanded.

But Sunday night's game with the Utah Jazz brings a next-level challenge. The Magic will be without their top four scorers — Paolo Banchero, Franz Wagner, Jalen Suggs and Moe Wagner — and a reserve three-and-D guard (Gary Harris). Plus, Anthony Black is listed as questionable. All of which means the Magic will have, at most, 11 players available. Tipoff is 6:30 p.m. at the Kia Center.

Orlando finished Friday's nine-point win at Toronto with just 10 players, and each contributed to the team's 21st victory. Every Magic player recorded at least five points and rookie Tristan da Silva (25 points) and backup guards Cole Anthony (11 assists) and Cory Joseph (11 points) were exemplars of the by-committee approach.

The 8-25 Jazz are one of five NBA teams yet to surpass 10 wins, but they can't be counted out as non-competitive. Saturday evening, they furthered the Miami Heat's disarray with a 36-point drubbing. Sunday's game in Orlando is the second leg of the typical Florida back-to-back for visiting teams.

About the Jazz

Leading Scorers

• Lauri Markkanen: 19.5 points, 6.4 rebounds, 1.9 assists, 42.9 FG%, 35.8 3PT%
• John Collins: 17.7 points, 8.2 rebounds, 2.5 assists, 52.3 FG%, 42.4 3PT%
• Collin Sexton: 17.7 points, 2.7 rebounds, 3.8 assists, 49.3 FG%, 43.8 3PT%
• Jordan Clarkson: 16.7 points, 3.5 rebounds, 4.0 assists, 41.4 FG%, 34.5 3PT%
• Keyonte George: 15.8 points, 3.3 rebounds, 5.7 assists, 39.5 FG%, 35.0 3PT%
• Walker Kessler: 10.2 points, 10.9 rebounds, 1.8 assists, 70.6 FG%

Gameday Injury News

• Lauri Markkanen: OUT (low back spasms)
• John Collins: OUT (personal reasons)
• Keyonte George: Questionable (left heel soreness)
• Collin Sexton: AVAILABLE (left fourth finger dip avulsion fracture)
• Jordan Clarkson: OUT (left plantar fasciitis)
• Taylor Hendricks: OUT (right fibula fracture)

Meet the Coach

Will Hardy, Utah Jazz: Hardy, one of the NBA's youngest coaches at 36 years old, is in his third season with the Jazz. He spent six seasons as an assistant with Gregg Popovich in San Antonio. As a head coach, he's 75-121 in 196 career games.

Notable Numbers

• 111.5 points/game (19th)
• 54.2 eFG% (13th)
• 100.15 pace (12th)
• -7.7 net rating (27th)
• 111.3 offensive rating (13th)
• 119.0 defensive rating (30th)
• 18.3 TOV% (30th)
• 32.4 OREB% (3rd)

Keys to the Game

Force turnovers

Utah is an interesting case study. The Jazz have a below-average offense, but they can be effective.

They're in the league's top half for effective and true shooting percentage and offensive rating, and they rebound their own misses at the third-highest percentage. But they're the NBA's most turnover-prone team and surrender the most points off of their giveaways. So, the Jazz give themselves a chance when they can hold onto the ball.

Case in point: Saturday's win at Miami. Six scorers reached double figures as the Jazz shot 19-of-46 from three and 52 percent from the field. They won the turnover and rebounding battles, scored 21 fast-break points and led by as many as 43.

It was just the third time this season the Jazz have committed fewer turnovers than their opponent. Non-coincidentally, Utah is 3-0 in said contests.

Magic opponents are turning the ball over 17.1 times a game this season — the third-highest mark in the league.

Understand the opportunity

The Magic have the third-best home record in the NBA, after Cleveland and Oklahoma City, and need to capitalize on this opportunity.

The slate of games following Utah isn't easy: New York on Monday for the second half of a back-to-back, then back in Orlando to face Minnesota, Milwaukee and Philadelphia, which is slowly climbing back into the thick of the Eastern Conference.

Following that, the next three games see the Magic visit Milwaukee and Boston, then return home to host Denver. While Orlando figures to get some much-needed help with some key pieces making a possible return, that's a tough stretch regardless.

Despite their injuries, the Magic have stayed afloat in the East's top four. Consecutive losses from the Knicks have shrunk the gap between the two rivals. A win on Sunday would have the Magic to just 2.5 games back with Monday's head-to-head looming.

Related Stories on the Orlando Magic

• MAGIC-JAZZ TV INFO: How to watch Orlando and Utah do battle Sunday evening. CLICK HERE
• SUGGS OUT WITH BACK STRAIN VS. UTAH: The fourth-year guard was diagnosed with a low back strain and is set to miss Sunday's contest versus the Utah Jazz. CLICK HERE
• MAGIC-RAPTORS RECAP: Tristan da Silva's 25 points and the Magic's 19 made threes helped a depth-reliant Orlando team handle Toronto on Friday night. CLICK HERE
• RESILIENT MAGIC SEARCH FOR SUSTAINABLE STARTS: The Orlando Magic acknowledge that their slow starts are digging holes that even spirited comebacks can't always overcome. Bucking that trend — a challenge, given their injury shortages — is the Magic's next step. CLICK HERE
• BANCHERO, FRANZ CRACK TOP 10 IN ALL-STAR VOTE RETURNS: The Orlando Magic's star frontcourt duo appeared in the top 10 of the first returns for NBA All-Star fan voting Thursday. CLICK HERE
• PAOLO, NOW 'HEALED,' GETTING CLOSER TO RETURN: After his torn right oblique has now fully healed, the Magic star is hoping to return back to the court with Orlando soon. CLICK HERE
• MAGIC'S 2024-25 SCHEDULE: See the complete slate for the Orlando Magic in 2024-25 and all the details – dates, locations, TV, tip times, and more – that you need to know. CLICK HERE

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