SALT LAKE CITY — The Utah Jazz will be without Donovan Mitchell for the next two games as the star deals with an injury.
The Jazz announced Sunday that Mitchell strained his left-lower-back.
Eric Walden with The Salt Lake Tribune reported that the two-time All-Star shooting guard will not travel with the team on the upcoming two-game road trip. The Jazz will play the San Antonio Spurs Monday, then will travel to Portland to face the Trail Blazers Wednesday night. They'll then return to Salt Lake City to host the Minnesota Timberwolves at home Friday night.
Donovan Mitchell will not travel with the Jazz on their coming two-game trip. He is OUT with a left low back strain and will remain in SLC for treatment.
— Eric Walden (@tribjazz) December 26, 2021
The Tribunereported that Mitchell tweaked his back Saturday night as the Jazz beat the Dallas Mavericks at Vivint Arena.
The team reportedly said Mitchell had experienced “some lower back tightness” late in the first quarter. He went to the locker room, where training staff helped give him some stretching treatment before returning to action.
Mitchell spoke on the injury after Saturday night's game, but he didn't appear too concerned about its severity.
“When I threw the pass to Mike [Conley], it just … I don’t really know how to describe the feeling, but it’s just like when you can’t move, and you have to kind of stand straight up,” Mitchell said, according to The Tribune's report. “But I got it worked on, and I dunked right after that, so I’m alright.”
Utah is currently third in the NBA's Western Conference standings with a 23-9 record so far. Mitchell leads the team in scoring with an average of 25.4 points per game this season.
