Lauri Markkanen poured in a career-best 51 points on Monday night, lifting the Utah Jazz to a 138-134 overtime victory over the Phoenix Suns in Salt Lake City. The performance made him the first Jazz player to surpass 50 points since Karl Malone’s 56 on April 7, 1998, a span of 2,155 regular-season games.
The 28-year-old forward sealed the win with two free throws with 1.9 seconds remaining in the extra period and became the 97th player in NBA history to reach the 50-point plateau. He logged 45 minutes, shooting 6-for-11 from beyond the arc and a perfect 17-for-17 at the line, tying the franchise record for most free throws made without a miss. Markkanen also grabbed 14 rebounds, becoming the first player in club history to record at least 50 points, 10 boards and five made threes in a single game.
“As long as you’re mentally not tired, you can push through whatever you need to,” Markkanen said afterward. Now in his ninth NBA season, he eclipsed his previous best of 49 points set on Jan. 5, 2023. “The game is slower now. You get hungrier as it happens, so hopefully it’s not the last.”
Rookie guard Keyonte George added 26 points and 10 assists, repeatedly feeding the hot hand. “Just wanted to get it to Lauri in space,” George said. “We are empowering him more.”
Markkanen had a chance to win the game in regulation, but his baseline jumper rimmed out, sending the contest to overtime tied at 120-120. Head coach Will Hardy praised the All-Star’s resilience: “He showed a tremendous amount of heart. He was really physical tonight and made a lot of big baskets.”
The Suns focused their defense on Markkanen, yet he maintained his pace, noting that improved mental preparation has been a key part of his development.
Source: ESPN
