Shorthanded Jazz Finish Seeding Games Versus Desperate Spurs

SALT LAKE CITY, Utah – The Utah Jazz will play their final seeding game against the desperate San Antonio Spurs. The Jazz will be shorthanded without either Rudy Gobert (low back) or Mike Conley (right knee) in the lineup. Both starters were listed out against the Spurs on Thursday.

Meanwhile, the Spurs need a win to keep their playoff hopes alive. The Spurs need to beat the Jazz, along with any combination of two losses by the Portland Trailblazers, Phoenix Suns, and Memphis Grizzlies.

Utah Jazz Injury Report:

Mike Conley – OUT (right knee soreness)
Rudy Gobert – OUT (low back soreness)
Emmanuel Mudiay – QUESTIONABLE (left knee soreness)

— utahjazz (@utahjazz) August 12, 2020

The Jazz meanwhile control their own playoff destiny. With a loss, the Jazz can maintain their current playoff standing in the Western Conference’s sixth seed. They are likely to face the Denver Nuggets in the first round of the playoffs by staying put.

If the Jazz beat the Spurs they would climb into the fifth-seed, barring a victory from te Oklahoma City Thunder in either of their final two games. The Houston Rockets guaranteed themselves a fourth or fifth-place finish in the West with their loss to the Indiana Pacers on Wednesday.

Who will Jazz Play Against Spurs?

With Conley and Gobert listed as unavailable, the Jazz may be indicating that guard Donovan Mitchell is available against the Spurs. Mitchell has missed two of the Jazz last three games dealing with a lower left leg strain.

OH?!?!?! @spidadmitchell pic.twitter.com/Wootq8jtUh

— utahjazz (@utahjazz) August 8, 2020

Jordan Clarkson started in place of Mitchell in Monday’s loss to the Dallas Mavericks. The Jazz may opt to start Michell, along with traditional starters Joe Ingles and Royce O’Neale, but limit the heavy rotations players minutes before the postseason.

The NBA postseason begins on August 17, though the league is expected to alternate series openers on Monday and Tuesday.

San Antonio knocked of the Jazz last Friday 119-111. The Jazz sat Conley, Mitchell, O’Neale, and Gobert in the loss.

The Spurs could know their playoff fate by the time the two teams tip-off. The Grizzlies will face the Milwaukee Bucks at 2 pm MT, while the Suns face the Dallas Mavericks at the same time. If both the Grizzlies and Suns win their games, the Spurs will be eliminated from playoff contention.

The Jazz and Spurs tip-off at 4:30 pm MT. The game will be broadcast nationally on TNT and locally on AT&T SportsNet.