Alec Burks and the Utah Jazz got some good news, as Burks’ shoulder injury isn’t as bad as feared
The Utah Jazz breathed a sigh of relief recently, as it was discovered that Alec Burks’ shoulder injury wasn’t as bad as previously feared. He’s still dealing with inflammation and it appears as if he’ll still need offseason surgery, but according to Tony Jones of the Salt Lake Tribune, Burks has been cleared to practice.
Utah is mired in an eight-game losing streak and have been without Burks for the last two. Burks has emerged as the starting shooting guard of the future and although his numbers has dipped slightly from 2013-14, he hasn’t disappointed. The 6-foot-6 guard out of Grandview, Missouri was averaging 13.3 points, 4.5 rebounds and 3.0 assists on the season before getting injured.
Burks commented on his injury and expressed his gratitude for the opportunity to play again this season:
"I’m glad that I received a positive diagnosis. It makes you appreciate things for sure. Right now, all I can do is try and take it day by day."
The fact that Burks is practicing and has been without pain for a few days is a huge boon for the Jazz, who don’t have quality depth at shooting guard.
In the interim, the Jazz have been depending on Rodney Hood to fill the gaps. The No. 23 pick in the 2014 NBA Draft from Duke University started the season extremely slowly, but in his previous two starts he’s averaging 12.5 points in 26.1 minutes with a shooting line of .500/.500/.857. This experience should pay dividends down the line, as when Burks comes back he’ll almost certainly jump right back into the starting lineup.
The hope is that Burks can pick up where he left off — as the game where he got injured he tied a season high with 22 points to go along with eight rebounds and three assists (he also set a season high with 10 free-throw attempts). As of now, Burks is still questionable for Utah’s game Monday night at Sacramento.