Jazz Look to Rebound Against Heat in Road Trip Finale

Utah's tanking allegations loom as they wrap up 5-game road stretch in Miami

Feb. 9, 2026 at 6:15am

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The struggling Utah Jazz, losers of 18 of their last 22 games, will visit the Miami Heat on Monday night to conclude a five-game road trip. The Jazz have been accused of tanking, resting their top stars Lauri Markkanen and Jaren Jackson Jr. in recent games, as they aim to secure a better draft pick. However, the Jazz are building for the future with their new frontcourt duo of Markkanen and Jackson. Meanwhile, the Heat are coming off a blowout win over the Wizards but have injury concerns with All-Star forward Norman Powell's sore back.

Why it matters

This game highlights the Jazz's struggles this season and the growing debate around tanking in the NBA. While the Jazz claim they are building for the future, their recent decisions to rest key players have led to accusations of purposefully losing games. The outcome of this game could further fuel the tanking narrative or show the Jazz are still competing hard despite their poor record.

The details

The Jazz are just 6-20 on the road this season and have lost 18 of their last 22 games overall. In their most recent game, a loss to the Magic, the Jazz rested Markkanen and Jackson for the entire fourth quarter despite holding a lead. This has led to criticism that the Jazz are tanking to secure a better draft pick. However, the Jazz are excited about their new frontcourt duo of the 6'10" Markkanen and 6'11" Jackson, who was acquired in a trade last week. The Jazz are also without the injured 7'2" center Walker Kessler for the rest of the season.

  • The Jazz will visit the Heat on Monday, February 9, 2026 to conclude their 5-game road trip.
  • The Jazz's 2026 first-round pick goes to the Oklahoma City Thunder unless it's a top-8 selection.

The players

Lauri Markkanen

A 2023 NBA All-Star, Markkanen is averaging 27.1 points per game this season and is a key part of the Jazz's future.

Jaren Jackson Jr.

A two-time NBA All-Star who was recently acquired by the Jazz in a trade with the Memphis Grizzlies. He is averaging 19.3 points per game.

Walker Kessler

The 7'2" center who averaged a double-double last season will miss the rest of this year due to shoulder surgery.

Keyonte George

The Jazz's starting point guard who is averaging 23.8 points and 6.5 assists per game, but will miss Monday's game with an ankle sprain.

Erik Spoelstra

The head coach of the Miami Heat, who are looking to finish the first half of the season on a high note.

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What they’re saying

“Jaren's a hell of a player. His resume speaks for itself. Very excited -- I think we all are.”

— Will Hardy, Jazz Head Coach

“If the game (were) closer I could've stayed in, I guess. That's a tough question to ask me.”

— Norman Powell, Heat Forward

“Our three point guards are all really important. If I'm playing two of them and not one, it's not an indictment. But (Jakucionis) gives us something different. He competes. He was getting into dust-ups (against Washington) because of how hard he plays, and there's a purity to that.”

— Erik Spoelstra, Heat Head Coach

What’s next

The judge in the case will decide on Tuesday whether or not to allow Walker Reed Quinn out on bail.

The takeaway

This game highlights the ongoing debate around tanking in the NBA, as the struggling Jazz face accusations of resting their stars to secure a better draft pick. However, the Jazz appear to be building for the future with their new frontcourt duo of Markkanen and Jackson, showing that mission-driven teams can still find success in the league.