Overview
- The season opener is Wednesday night in Salt Lake City, matching Utah’s youthful roster against Los Angeles’s older core.
- Utah’s official injury report lists Isaiah Collier (hamstring) and Georges Niang (foot) out, with Ace Bailey questionable due to illness.
- The Clippers roll out stars Kawhi Leonard and James Harden with new All-Star additions Bradley Beal and Chris Paul, as coach Tyronn Lue says rotations may take 15–20 games to settle.
- Jazz leadership stresses internal growth for a young core, with local projections expecting significant usage for No. 5 pick Bailey if available.
- Last season the Jazz finished 17–65 and the Clippers went 50–32 before a seven-game first-round exit to Denver, underscoring the teams’ divergent trajectories.