Jazz Look to Rebound Without Jaren Jackson Jr. Against Blazers

Utah's new star acquisition will undergo knee surgery, sidelining him for the matchup with Portland.

Published on Feb. 12, 2026

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The Utah Jazz will be without their newly acquired star Jaren Jackson Jr. when they take on the Portland Trail Blazers on Thursday night. Jackson, who was traded to the Jazz just last week, will undergo surgery on his left knee, forcing him to miss the game. The Jazz will look to put the pieces together without Jackson as they try to build on their recent back-to-back wins over the Miami Heat and Sacramento Kings. Meanwhile, the Blazers are coming off a blowout loss to the Timberwolves and will be looking to bounce back, having already defeated the Jazz twice this season.

Why it matters

The Jazz were hoping Jackson would help bolster their roster and form a formidable duo with Lauri Markkanen. His absence will be a significant blow as the Jazz try to climb the Western Conference standings. The Blazers, on the other hand, are fighting for a playoff spot and need to take advantage of the Jazz's weakened lineup.

The details

Jaren Jackson Jr. scored 22 points in his Jazz debut on Saturday and followed that up with another 22-point performance on Monday. He continued his strong play with 23 points in 22 minutes against the Kings on Wednesday. However, the Jazz announced on Thursday morning that Jackson will undergo surgery on his left knee, sidelining him indefinitely. The Jazz will now have to find a way to replace Jackson's production as they take on the Blazers, who have already beaten Utah twice this season.

  • The Jazz and Blazers will face off on Thursday, February 12, 2026.
  • Jackson was traded to the Jazz just nine days ago.

The players

Jaren Jackson Jr.

A two-time NBA All-Star who was recently acquired by the Utah Jazz in an eight-player trade with the Memphis Grizzlies. He will undergo surgery on his left knee, sidelining him indefinitely.

Lauri Markkanen

A former NBA All-Star who is averaging a career-best 26.7 points per game for the Jazz this season. He will be counted on to lead the team in Jaren Jackson Jr.'s absence.

Keyonte George

A standout guard for the Jazz who has missed five of the past six games due to ankle injuries.

Deni Avdija

An All-Star for the Portland Trail Blazers who has been dealing with lower back pain in recent weeks.

Shaedon Sharpe

A Trail Blazers player who will likely miss his fourth straight game due to a left calf strain.

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What they’re saying

“Credit to my teammates. It's been a great week. It's been crazy. They have made me feel welcome and comfortable. I'm glad to get a home game in. It was loud. It's been great.”

— Jaren Jackson Jr.

“He can do everything on the court. This fan base knows what he brings. I'm happy to be out there with him, and we're going to keep doing it.”

— Jaren Jackson Jr.

“Of course, not a great game. We couldn't get our rhythm. They did a tremendous job with their defense. We turned the ball over way too much. Can't win a game like that.”

— Tiago Splitter, Interim Head Coach, Portland Trail Blazers

“We got to get better and we will. I think it was an off-game for everyone (Wednesday). We got to bounce back. We have another game (Thursday) night. We have to regroup and see who's ready to play.”

— Tiago Splitter, Interim Head Coach, Portland Trail Blazers

What’s next

The Jazz will have to determine the timeline for Jaren Jackson Jr.'s recovery and surgery, as well as how they will adjust their lineup and rotations without him. The Blazers will look to bounce back from their blowout loss to the Timberwolves and try to continue their success against the Jazz this season.

The takeaway

The loss of Jaren Jackson Jr. is a significant blow to the Jazz as they try to climb the Western Conference standings. However, the team has shown it can win without key players, and Lauri Markkanen will need to step up in Jackson's absence. Meanwhile, the Blazers have an opportunity to take advantage of the Jazz's weakened lineup and solidify their own playoff position.