Utah Jazz vs Houston Rockets injury report: Who's playing, injured and questionable players, head-to-head records, team stats, and more (February 23, 2026)

The Utah Jazz travel to Houston with a 18-39 record. The Houston Rockets come in at 34-21 and are in the playoff race. The difference in form is clear, but injuries could still affect the game.Houston has been steady, especially at home. Utah has struggled and is dealing with several absences. That will likely shape how both teams approach this matchup.Utah is missing several key players, mainly in the frontcourt. Houston also has injuries, but fewer core pieces are affected. • Fred VanVleet: Out (right ACL repair, season-long) • Steven Adams: Out (left ankle surgery, season-ending) • Jae’Sean Tate: Out (right knee sprain) • Tristen Newton: Out (G League assignment)Houston is without some depth, but still has Kevin Durant and Alperen Sengun leading the offense. • Keyonte George: Questionable/Out (right ankle sprain) • Lauri Markkanen: Probable/Out (illness) • Jusuf Nurkic: Out (nose injury management) • Jaren Jackson Jr.: Out (left knee recovery, season-ending) • Walker Kessler: Out (left shoulder recovery, season-ending)Utah is short on big men. Players like Kyle Filipowski and Ace Bailey are expected to get more minutes.Stat Category Utah Jazz (57 GP) Houston Rockets (55 GP) League Rank (Hou)Points Per Game 118.2 ~115 Top-10Rebounds Per Game 44.4 High (Sengun 9.1 RPG) Top-5Assists Per Game 30.0 Strong (Sengun 6.3 APG) Top-10FG% 46.9% ~49% (Durant .506) Mid-packOpp. PPG Allowed 125.9 Competitive Solid defenseNet Rating -7.7 Positive Playoff contentionUtah allows 125.9 points per game and has struggled on defense. Houston has been more balanced. Durant is averaging 26.1 points. Amen Thompson adds 17.4 points and 1.5 steals.The season series is tied 1-1. Utah won 133-125 in December. Houston won the last meeting.Houston also leads the playoff record between the teams. Regular-season games have been close.Reed Sheppard is expected to run point with VanVleet out. He will face a Utah backcourt that is also dealing with injuries.Inside, Sengun has an advantage. Utah is missing Nurkic and Kessler, which leaves them thin in the paint.Markkanen’s status matters. If he plays, Utah gets a scoring option. If not, Houston has the stronger lineup going into this game.