Lauri Markkanen (Utah Jazz)
October 2025

Lauri Markkanen poured in 51—Utah’s first 50-plus since 1998—hitting six threes and going 17-for-17 at the line across 45 minutes to edge Phoenix in overtime. He added 14 boards while Keyonte George’s 26-and-10 table-set the offense. Markkanen cited mental pacing as his late-game edge. Utah spammed empty-corner actions and early drag screens to free Markkanen’s pop/pin-down reads, then closed with mismatch hunts and whistle pressure. Sustainability hinges on secondary creators sustaining advantage so teams cannot load two to the ball. Defensive glass control and tidy late-clock execution preserved the result.