Lauri Markkanen just joined NBA royalty, becoming the first Utah Jazz player to drop 50 points in a game since Karl Malone’s 56-point explosion against Golden State back in 1998.
That’s a 27-year, 203-day drought between 50-point performances for the Jazz – the fourth-longest such gap in NBA history.
Markkanen didn’t just score 50 – he put up a career-high 51 points in Utah’s thrilling 138-134 overtime win against the Phoenix Suns on Monday night. He shot 43.8% from the field, knocked down six three-pointers, and was perfect from the free-throw line, going 17-for-17.
The Finnish star came through when it mattered most, sinking two clutch free throws with just 1.9 seconds left in overtime to seal the victory.
He also grabbed 14 rebounds in his 45 minutes on the court.
This performance made Markkanen the 97th player in NBA history to join the exclusive 50-point club. But he didn’t stop there – he also became the first Jazz player ever to record at least 50 points, 10 rebounds, and six 3-pointers in a single game.
“I never think about, I’m going to go for 50, but obviously, when it’s overtime, and you’re at 47 and they start fouling, you start think there’s a there’s a good chance that it’s going to happen,” Markkanen said after the game.
This wasn’t just a random hot night. Markkanen has been on fire to start the season, scoring 20 points in a win against the Clippers and putting up 33 in a narrow loss to Sacramento before Monday’s explosion.
Jazz coach Will Hardy couldn’t hide his admiration: “He showed a tremendous amount of heart. He was really physical tonight and made a lot of big baskets.”
The $195 Million Man
The Jazz clearly saw this coming. They locked Markkanen down last August with a massive four-year, $195.86 million contract extension.
Utah acquired the 7-footer in the 2022 blockbuster trade that sent Donovan Mitchell to Cleveland. Originally the 7th overall pick in the 2017 draft out of Arizona, Markkanen spent his first four seasons in Chicago before a year in Cleveland.
His career took off in Utah, where he won the NBA’s Most Improved Player award in 2022-23 after averaging a career-high 25.6 points.
Last season was a bit rocky for Markkanen. He played just 47 games due to a nagging lower back injury, averaging 19 points and 5.9 rebounds while shooting 42.3% from the field.
But if Monday’s performance is any indication, he’s back to his best – and maybe even better.
