Just as the Utah Jazz were getting used to having Thabo Sefolosha back in the rotation again, they’ll be forced to play without him.
That’s because in April, while he was recovering from knee surgery, Sefolosha was suspended five games for violating the NBA’s anti-drug program. A five-game suspension is the penalty in the league’s collective bargaining agreement for the third positive test for marijuana. But because Sefolosha was hurt, he couldn’t serve the suspension until he was physically able to play, and preseason games don’t count.
So Sefolosha will miss the team’s first five regular-season games, returning Sunday, Oct.