Injury updates on Joe Ingles, Raul Neto and Thabo Sefolosha as the Utah Jazz get set to tip-off their 2018 preseason slate.
On Saturday night, an overlong offseason finally reaches its end for the Utah Jazz, who play host to the Perth Wildcats in their exhibition opener. However, not every player will be available to take the court when the team squares off against reining NBL MVP and former Jazzman Bryce Cotton.
Per reports out of Jazz shootaround, Joe Ingles will miss the game with lower leg soreness. Meanwhile, Raul Neto will sit as he continues to recover from a right hamstring injury.
Joe Ingles will be out of action tonight due to lower leg soreness, per @UtahJazzPR. Raul Neto (hamstring) is also out. Thabo Sefolosha will be available to play.
— Aaron Falk (@aaronfalk) September 29, 2018
Given Utah’s significant injury problems in recent years, these aren’t the kinds of reports that anyone wants to hear on Day 1 of the new season. Nevertheless, fans should rest easy knowing that Ingles’ forthcoming DNP is likely precautionary in nature. The Jazz won’t be rallying the troops for a preseason game against a non-NBA opponent.
Ingles averaged 11.5 points, 4.8 assists and 4.2 rebounds per contest for the Jazz last season. He’ll continue to be a major part of the team’s attack in 2018-19.
As for Neto, his absence was expected. The team announced on Monday that the point guard would be out of commission for two weeks, at which point his hamstring would be re-evaluated by Jazz medical.
His situation is one to monitor after he missed 41 games last season with more bumps and bruises than can even be listed here. That said, no one was raising any alarms at Jazz Media Day earlier this week. So, until we’re given reason to think otherwise, I wouldn’t anticipate any long-term problems.
At the least, he (and the team) are probably due a bit of good fortune.
Neto put up 4.5 points and just under two assists per game in limited action last season.
Now for some good news — Thabo Sefolosha will be available to make his long-awaited return to the court after losing the back half of the 2017-18 season to an MCL injury. He’s been dealing with an ankle issue in recent days.
Sefolosha is eligible to participate in all of Utah’s exhibition bouts, but he’ll miss the first five games of the regular season while serving a suspension. He performed well in a reserve role last season, averaging over eight points and four rebounds per contest.
The 34-year-old figures to compete for minutes as a back-up power forward, as well as spot duty on the wing, in the year to come.