Lauri Markknen’s 49-point performance
As noted, there are a lot of things that go into making a game great. A back-and-forth performance is always fun, but seeing the best player on a team go supernova is awesome, too.
In the case of this game, that’s exactly what happened. Lauri Markkanen exploded for 49 points—the most scored by a Utah Jazz player this past season and his career-high—leading Utah to a big win.
The Jazz picked up a 131-114 win on the back of Markkanen’s ridiculous performance, which occurred on January 5, 2023. He outdueled Jalen Green, who put up 30 points of his own for the Houston Rockets.
Utah maintained control of the game for the first three quarters, but by the end of the third, the Rockets had made a run and completely dismantled the Jazz’s lead.
But luckily for Utah, Markkanen was there to save them in the final frame. Fourteen of his 49 points came in the fourth quarter alone, as he shot 5-of-8 from the field and 2-of-4 from behind the three-point line.
Cracking the 50-point mark would have made the night all the more special, but Markkanen and the Jazz were perfectly satisfied walking out of Houston with a win and his career-high.