Utah Jazz: No breaks for banged-up Jazz as they face Lakers in Salt Lake

SALT LAKE CITY — After the team's comeback win against Portland on Monday, Earl Watson enthusiastically spoke about the Utah Jazz's upcoming week.

The Jazz were coming off an emotional and "epic" victory, which boosted their record to an unexpectedly good 12-7.

Spirits were soaring.

Smiles lit up faces in the locker room.

With the Jazz on the precipice of making a major move and statement in the Western Conference playoff race, Watson said the week was full of "amazing opportunities."

The NBA's injury gods must have taken that as a personal challenge.

Considering how the week has transpired — losing two straight games and point guards — it might be considered amazing if the Jazz simply manage to pull off a .500 record for their four-game schedule.

To do that, Utah will have to do something tonight with a shorthanded squad that it wasn't able to do at full strength a few weeks ago — beat the Los Angeles Lakers at home.

Because of their injury situation, it's unknown exactly who will be available to go for the Jazz, who hope to avoid both their first three-game losing streak and falling to Kobe Bryant & Co. for a second time at home this season.

It's unknown, though, who the Jazz will have available in their banged-up backcourt as they try to bounce back from losses to the Clippers and Warriors after the Blazer victory.

The status of starters Devin Harris (hamstring) and Raja Bell (groin) as well as key reserve Watson (ankle) are up in the air — or up in the training room, to be more precise.

The three guards — who average 70.8 minutes combined — missed Thursday's 119-101 loss at Golden State. Bell and Watson are day-to-day, and Harris is a game-time decision.

That could result in rarely used point guard Jamaal Tinsley being called into action again, with rookie shooting guard Alec Burks and perhaps swingman Gordon Hayward sharing ball-handling duties.

That situation isn't ideal, obviously. But Tinsley, a nine-year NBA veteran who's trying to revive his career, played well while dishing out a team season-high 13 assists Thursday.