Brice Sensabaugh Scores 43, Jazz Fall To Bulls

With Lauri Markkanen sidelined by illness, Jazz coach Will Hardy chose a lineup composed almost entirely of young players.

Except for veteran Kyle Anderson, eight of the Jazz’s nine-man rotation had three years of experience or less.

Hardy started Isaiah Collier, Keyonte George, Cody Williams, Ace Bailey, and Kyle Filipowski, but Brice Sensabaugh stole the show.

The Ohio State product became the first NBA player to score at least 21 points in the first quarter off the bench since 1996, when the league began tracking the statistic.

“Shots were just going in tonight,” Sensabaugh said. “So it was, it was a lot of fun.”

43 PTS OFF THE BENCH?? 🤯

Brice Sensabaugh CAREER NIGHT 🔥 pic.twitter.com/yWXIzkXjFv

— Bleacher Report (@BleacherReport) January 15, 2026

Sensabaugh remains the only player on the current Jazz roster to score at least 20 points in any quarter, with Wednesday’s performance in Chicago marking the second time he has done it in his career.

Furthermore, the 22-year-old’s 43 points rank as the second-most by any Jazz player coming off the bench in any game, just two points shy of Jordan Clarkson’s 45-point outing against the Sacramento Kings in 2022.

“It was just good to see [Brice] play well,” George said. “Whenever he’s playing with a smile on his face, good things happen.”

Sensabaugh’s 43 points also set a new record for a second-unit Jazz player on the road.

But what does it mean?

Before the loss in Chicago, Sensabaugh’s game had largely stagnated in his third season, with nearly identical numbers to his sophomore campaign.

Brice’s 21 points in the first are the most points by a player off the bench in any quarter in the last 30 YEARS 📈🤩#TakeNote | @bricepsensa pic.twitter.com/Mh97krahZo

— Utah Jazz (@utahjazz) January 15, 2026

The Florida native averaged fewer points and rebounds while shooting nearly 10 percent worse from three-point range compared to last season.

Even after 142 games, Sensabaugh has not proven he is a long-term piece for the Jazz, despite several bright flashes.

Big scoring outings grab attention, but the wing must turn these flashy performances into consistent showings over the second half of the season.

“To do something like I did today was special,” Sensabaugh acknowledged. “It means a lot to be in the record books and stamp my name, but you know, it’s important that I continue to carry it on.”

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Sensabaugh managed that last year, averaging 11.5 points while shooting a blistering 44 percent from three over the final 41 games.

The Jazz can sign Sensabaugh to an extension beginning this summer, and nights like the one in Chicago make him an appealing candidate.

But until he shows more consistency on the floor, the occasional high-scoring outing may not be enough to guarantee him a role.