Markkanen Career-High 49 Points Snaps Jazz Losing Streak
Jan 5, 2023, 8:22 PM | Updated: 8:38 pm
Lauri Markkanen #23 of the Utah Jazz shoots a three point basket against the Houston Rockets during the first half at Toyota Center on January 05, 2023 in Houston, Texas. (Photo by Carmen Mandato/Getty Images)
(Photo by Carmen Mandato/Getty Images)
SALT LAKE CITY – Lauri Markkanen scored a career-high 49 points as the Utah Jazz snapped their five-game losing streak with a 131-114 win over the Houston Rockets.
Markkanen had scored 38 points twice before in a Jazz uniform but hadn’t broken the 40-point mark during his career.
With the win, the Jazz moved to 20-21 at the midway point of the season.
First Quarter
The Jazz jumped out to a 22-11 lead thanks to 15-0 run after falling behind early.
The Rockets had no answer for Lauri Markkanen who scored a game-high 18 first quarter points on 7-11 shooting including 4-7 from three, setting a new career-high for a quarter.
Lauri Markkanen is ON FIRE in Houston. He scored 18 of the Jazz's first 27 to set a new career-high for a single quarter.#TakeNote #NBAAllStar https://t.co/xF0FhQpHnm
— KSL Sports (@kslsports) January 6, 2023
After leading by as much as 13, the Rockets closed the first quarter on a 5-0 run led by 10 points from Kevin Porter Jr.
The Jazz led the Rockets 31-23 after one.
Second Quarter
Malik Beasley carried the offensive load for the Jazz scoring 14 of his 16 first half points in the second quarter.
Alperin Sengun scored 10 points in the period bringing his halftime total to 12.
Malik Beasley hit three 'beas' in the second quarter against the Houston Rockets. He has 16 total in the first half.#TakeNote https://t.co/Rm5KVvF5YX
— KSL Sports (@kslsports) January 6, 2023
The Rockets slowed Markkanen, holding him to just six points in the second quarter.
After seeing their lead dip to as few as five, the Jazz led the Rockets 64-56 at the break.
Third Quarter
The Rockets trimmed the Jazz lead to four early in the third and continued to pick away at the deficit with hot three-point shooting.
Sengun continued his terrific play in the second half bringing his scoring total to 17 to go with 13 rebounds on 7-13 shooting.
The Finnisher is looking like an #NBAAllStar. 🤩 💪 #TakeNote #UTAvsHOU @BensHoops https://t.co/CFFJ6mEX80
— KSL Sports (@kslsports) January 6, 2023
Houston connected on 7-13 three-point attempts in the third and took a one point lead late in the quarter.
After surrendering the lead, the Jazz closed the quarter on a 10-0 run to take a 95-86 lead into the fourth.
Fourth Quarter
Rookie Ochai Agbaji had the best stretch of his NBA career scoring the Jazz’s first eight points of the quarter on a dunk and back-to-back threes.
The rookie added another three later in the quarter who help the Jazz rebuild their lead to double-digits.
OKAY, R👀KIE 🔥 #TakeNote #UTAvsHOU @BensHoops https://t.co/iZr98UTdjc
— KSL Sports (@kslsports) January 6, 2023
The Rockets again trimmed the Jazz lead to as few as five before the Jazz finally put the game away.
Markkanen set a new career-high with 49 points, including 14 points in the fourth quarter as the Jazz downed the Rockets 131-114.
