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While the Utah Jazz are on a winning streak, it has not come easy due to their lack of a replacement level point guard. The Jazz have been without any of their point guards for a week now. Luckily, relief is in sight.
The Utah Jazz have announced that Ricky Rubio, Thabo Sefolosha, and Raul Neto will all be reevaluated in one week’s time. While that does not mean we’ll see them in a week’s time, it does mean Utah could have both their starting point guard Ricky Rubio and a backup in Raul Neto back before the end of the month. Thabo Sefolosha who had been providing spot minutes at the four when Jae Crowder wasn’t feeling it could be available in a little more than one week’s time as well if all goes well.
Unfortunately, the same cannot be true of Dante Exum. Exum, who had suffered an ankle sprain by rolling his ankle on Derrick Favors foot, will be reevaluated in two weeks putting his reevaluation date at about the 29th of January. At that point, Utah is getting closer to the All Star break. That could incentivize both Utah and Dante Exum to do what they did with Ricky Rubio last year and not rush Dante Exum back to the lineup until All Star. Ankle sprains are finicky and Dante Exum’s first step is it ultimate weapon. Having Exum as close to 100% allows him to pick up right where he left off.
Utah Jazz Injury Update pic.twitter.com/In41M0kY82
— Utah Jazz PR (@UtahJazzPR) January 16, 2019
In the meantime, it looks like Utah will get one more week of the Donovan Mitchell show at point guard. Donovan Mitchell has taken Western Conference Player of the Week honors filling in for Ricky Rubio, Dante Exum, and Raul Neto at the 1 averaging 31.5 points, 5.8 assists, 4.3 rebounds on 48/49/82 shooting.
Another interesting wrinkle to all of this injury talk is the NBA’s trade deadline approaches. The trade deadline is on February 7th—only about a week after Dante Exum’s next reevaluation date. All of Utah’s players are now eligible for trade. Something to keep in mind as Utah juggles taking care of its walking dead as they fight for playoff seeding for the remainder of the season.