SALT LAKE CITY — Blood on his lip. Scratches on his arm. A look of quiet determination in his eyes.
That’s how Lauri Markkanen led the Utah Jazz from heartbreak to history on Monday night — dropping 51 points to lift his team to a 138–134 overtime win over the Phoenix Suns at the Delta Center.
It was the first 50-point game by a Jazz player since Karl Malone in 1998, and the moment sealed Markkanen’s place among the franchise’s all-time greats.
“You try to be as effective as you can for the team, and you never know if it’s going to happen or not, but I’m glad it did,” Markkanen said postgame. “My teammates put me in great positions — I just stayed aggressive.”
A Star’s Defining Performance
Markkanen’s night was nothing short of dominant. He attacked from everywhere — draining threes, bullying defenders inside, and knocking down midrange jumpers with cold precision.
Even after being double-teamed late, he refused to let up. One play in overtime said it all: passing up an open three, he drove straight at Mark Williams, drew contact, and sank free throws to keep the Jazz alive.
Through three games, Markkanen is now averaging 34.7 points, helping Utah carve out a new identity under coach Will Hardy.
“He’s not complaining to officials or looking around for help,” Hardy said. “He just competes. He’s become a leader — not because he talks the most, but because of his presence on the court.”
From Collapse to Comeback
Utah nearly threw it away. Leading by seven with under 25 seconds left, the Jazz watched Devin Booker drain back-to-back threes and the Suns claw their way into overtime after a wild tip-in on a missed free throw.
For a team that had just lost a heartbreaker in Sacramento days earlier, it felt like déjà vu.
“After that fourth-quarter collapse, it would’ve been easy for us to freeze,” Hardy said. “Instead, the guys showed character and composure in overtime.”
Rookie guard Keyonte George, who played nearly the entire second half, was huge again — finishing with 26 points and 10 assists, including a clutch layup that gave Utah the lead for good with 40 seconds left in overtime.
Center Walker Kessler added 25 points and 11 rebounds, securing redemption with a game-sealing offensive board — a moment he admitted “definitely felt nice” after fumbling a rebound that cost Utah a win days earlier.
MVP Chants and a Career Moment
As the final seconds ticked down, the Delta Center crowd erupted in “MVP” chants as Markkanen calmly hit two free throws to reach 51 points.
“That was special,” said forward Ace Bailey. “Hearing the crowd chant like that — it gave me chills.”
Markkanen admitted that he hadn’t thought about chasing 50 — until he realized he had 44 at the end of regulation.
“I was trying to finish the game in regulation — the legs were tired,” he said with a smile. “But I guess overtime gave me the opportunity.”
From Chaos to Calm
In many ways, Monday’s thriller symbolized what the Jazz are becoming — a team that can weather the storm and find composure in chaos.
And at the center of it all stands a 7-footer from Finland, bloodied but unshaken, turning a near-collapse into a career-defining masterpiece.
