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Donovan Mitchell out at least one more week with ankle injury
Donovan Mitchell leads the Jazz with 26.4 points per game and is second with a player efficiency rating of 21.41.  Russell Isabella-USA TODAY Sports

Jazz All-Star Donovan Mitchell out at least one more week with ankle injury

Utah Jazz All-Star guard Donovan Mitchell managed to avoid a serious ankle injury when he suffered a setback playing against the Indiana Pacers on April 16 but isn't yet close to returning. 

Per the NBA's website, the Jazz confirmed on Friday that Mitchell won't be re-evaluated until at least another week, which suggests he won't return until the playoffs start May 22. Utah faces the Oklahoma City Thunder on May 14 and then closes its regular-season slate at the Sacramento Kings on May 16. 

According to ESPN stats, Mitchell leads the Jazz with 26.4 points per game and is second with a player efficiency rating of 21.41. 

Utah headed into Friday's matchup against the Denver Nuggets sitting atop the Western Conference standings at 48-18, one game ahead of the Phoenix Suns in the race for the No. 1 seed. While every club wants home-court advantage, earning it isn't worth rushing Mitchell back before he's ready and risking potentially limiting him for when the games matter most. 

Zac Wassink

Zac Wassink is a longtime sports news writer and PFWA member who began his career in 2006 and has had his work featured on Yardbarker, MSN, Yahoo Sports and Bleacher Report. He is also a football and futbol aficionado who is probably yelling about Tottenham Hotspur at the moment and who chanted for Matt Harvey to start the ninth inning of Game 5 of the 2015 World Series at Citi Field. You can find him on X at @ZacWassink

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