Utah's biggest problem is the frontcourt. Jusuf Nurkic is out at least 4 weeks with a partial plantar plate tear in his right foot. Tony Bradley (left quad strain) and Trey Alexander (left knee bone bruise) both missed the opener. With no true center, the Jazz watched Memphis win the 2nd and 3rd quarters by a combined 69-48. Nobody has said whether Bradley will be back by Friday, and that's the first thing to check on game day.
That's what decides this one. The Pelicans got beaten late by a guard running the offense, but Utah may not have the size to make them pay inside. If Bradley is still out, Markkanen ends up playing more minutes near the rim than anyone in Salt Lake would like. New Orleans has no injuries listed, so Utah's thin rotation is the clearest gap between these teams on paper.
Utah does get home cooking. The schedule opened in Memphis and then sends the Jazz home for 5 straight, starting with this one. New Orleans plays its second game in 3 days at altitude after a loss that should still bother them. Tipoff is 7:30 PM MT.
There's no board posted yet, so this one is a scouting report for now. Watch George and Peterson against Murray in the backcourt, and watch who Utah plays at center. Also watch whether the Pelicans' defense holds up past the 3rd quarter this time. It's 2 teams with 1 game each, so take any trend with a grain of salt.