SALT LAKE CITY – In the first half, Lauri Markkanen showed the Spurs defense his scoring prowess from all over the court.

Full breakdown of last night’s Jazz game found here.

Markkanen posted 22 points, 4 rebounds, and a steal through the first two quarters.

22 points at the 𝐡𝐚𝐥𝐟 for @MarkkanenLauri 🔥

not to mention he’s 4/5 from deep.#Pura3Pointer | @pura pic.twitter.com/SeUTLHFMB6

— Utah Jazz (@utahjazz) March 1, 2023

Lauri Markkanen was the only reason Utah kept it close against the Spurs.

The Jazz trailed by two going into the break, 50-48.

at the half! pic.twitter.com/bgxXTH7nJL

— Utah Jazz (@utahjazz) March 1, 2023

No other Jazz player passed the double-digit threshold besides the All-Star.

Markkanen’s scoring pace has him potentially racking up his third 40-point game of the season.

RELATED: Lauri Markkanen Goes Coast To Coast, Dunks On San Antonio Defense

Shorthanded Jazz Host Spurs

The Utah Jazz will be without Jordan Clarkson and Collin Sexton tonight when they host the San Antonio Spurs.

Sexton will miss the next week of hoops as he continues to recover from a hamstring injury suffered before the All-Star break.

Clarkson, meanwhile, was ruled out Monday due to a right thumb sprain.

Collin Sexton will miss at least another week with his latest hamstring injury. #takenote https://t.co/Q7cSwk2L6W

— KSL Sports (@kslsports) February 27, 2023

Though the Jazz will be extra shorthanded in the backcourt against the Spurs, it will give Kris Dunn another opportunity to build on his momentum in Utah.

The veteran guard who is nearing the end of his 10-day contract with the team has had two promising performances in a Jazz uniform.

With 26 points, @KrisDunn3 has the most points scored in the first two games on a 10-day contract for the Jazz 🎶🖤#TakeNote pic.twitter.com/wJtF0rP7WG

— Utah Jazz (@utahjazz) February 28, 2023

Dunn scored 11 points in his debut last Wednesday against the Oklahoma City Thunder and followed it up with a 15-point, seven-rebound, eight-assist outing on Saturday against San Antonio.

The Jazz will host the Spurs before heading out on a six-game road trip, and won’t play again at home until March 18.

Spurs Have Lost 16 Straight

The Spurs will look to snap their season-worst 16-game losing streak after falling to the Jazz 118-102 on Saturday

Rookie Jeremy Sochan was the lone bright spot for San Antonino scoring 22 points in the loss.

Last game of our Rodeo Roadtrip!

🆚 @utahjazz
⏰ 8pm CT
📍 Vivint Arena
📺 @BallySportsSA
📻 @1200WOAI, @kxtn1350 #PorVida | @HEB | #ad pic.twitter.com/NibwqxSVki

— San Antonio Spurs (@spurs) February 28, 2023

There is good news on the horizon for the Spurs, however

Tonight’s game in Utah marks the final stop in a nine-game road trip that began before the All-Star break.

The Spurs return home to face the Indiana Pacers on Thursday. The following weekend sees a two-game series against the lowly Houston Rockets.

Utah Jazz and San Antonio Spurs Broadcast

The Utah Jazz and San Antonio Spurs will tip off at 7 pm MT in Salt Lake City. The game will be televised on AT&T SportsNet and can be heard on 97.5 The KSL Sports Zone. It can also be streamed on DirecTV Stream and FuboTV.

Chandler Holt is a Digital Sports Producer for KSLSports.com, specializing in all things basketball and football. Follow Chandler on Twitter at @ChandlerHoltKSL.

Take us with you, wherever you go.

Download the new & improved KSL Sports app from Utah’s sports leader. You can stream live radio, video and stay up to date on all of your favorite teams.