George, Markkanen Lift Utah Jazz Past Flagg, Dallas Mavericks

George scored 37 points, while Markkanen added 33. Kyle Filipowski, starting in place of the resting Jusuf Nurkic, contributed 25 points and nine rebounds.

Jazz Blog: Jazz Survive OT Thriller Against Mavericks

What Is Fair to Expect From Keyonte George Now?

George posted a career‑high 39 points in Friday’s surprise win in Memphis, then followed it with 37 more at home against Dallas.

The third‑year guard has emerged as one of the league’s biggest breakout players this season, improving almost every time he steps on the floor.

While the Jazz don’t expect him to score 30 every night, they are recognizing his growth.

 

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“Keyonte has changed all of our expectations for him, and I think that’s a good thing,” Jazz coach Will Hardy said. “I think that does make us feel differently about him in terms of our roster and what that could mean moving forward.”

George is averaging career highs across the board and has established himself as a legitimate threat, even against elite NBA competition.

Against Dallas, he added six assists and five rebounds, shooting 11–20 from the field and 5–10 from three. He committed only two turnovers and outscored the Mavericks 5–4 by himself in overtime.

His play has also eased some defensive pressure on Markkanen, who is averaging a career‑best 28 points per game.

how do you follow up dropping a career-high 39?

drop 37 with some big plays down the stretch to bring home the win 😎🔑#PlayerHighlights presented by @ZionsBank pic.twitter.com/GVZmARJEHt

— Utah Jazz (@utahjazz) December 16, 2025

“It’s great to have that kind of weapon out there all the time that can make plays, catch‑and‑shoot off the dribble, create for other people,” Markkanen said. “I’m happy for him, and the sky is the limit, obviously, so we’ll see how much he can still improve.”

George has topped 20 points in 15 of the Jazz’s 25 games and has reached 30 or more six times. He has failed to score in double figures only twice and has been held under 15 points just three times.

The Jazz have been waiting for one of their young players to break out, and George is proving early in the season that he was worth the patience.

Cooper Flagg Might Have Been the Best Player on the Floor

Cooper Flagg made history Monday, becoming the first 18‑year‑old ever to score 40 points in an NBA game.

He passed LeBron James’ previous rookie mark of 37. The former Duke star finished with 42 points, seven rebounds, and six assists in 42 minutes, days before his 19th birthday.

While Flagg’s unprecedented performance didn’t carry Dallas to a win, it underscored why the Jazz committed to a 17‑win season last year and why this year’s first‑round pick remains so important to their future.

COOPER FLAGG TONIGHT 🤯

42 PTS
6 AST
7 REB
Most PTS scored by an 18-year-old in a single game EVER

HISTORY. 🔥 pic.twitter.com/OT9do8bnxw

— Bleacher Report (@BleacherReport) December 16, 2025

With the win, the Jazz improved to 10–15, tied for the league’s 10th‑worst record. If the draft lottery took place today, they would have about an 11 percent chance of keeping their pick and an 89 percent chance of sending it to the reigning champion Oklahoma City Thunder.

There’s no reason for fans to panic. With more than 50 games left, the Jazz can still pivot to protect the pick and increase their odds of drafting a player like Flagg in 2026.

Even with their success, the Jazz are just four wins away from being tied for the third-fewest victories in the NBA.

Or, they could also continue pushing forward, hoping for good lottery luck or finding comfort in sending the Thunder a pick outside the top 10.

The Jazz may have already hinted at lottery‑focused thinking before Monday’s game by resting veterans Svi Mykhailiuk, Kevin Love, and Jusuf Nurkic, all of whom have exceeded expectations this season.

If that was their intention, they may need to adopt a more aggressive approach in the coming months to secure a top‑eight pick.

If Monday proved anything, it’s that a player of Flagg’s caliber is worth the effort—and that this Jazz team, as currently constructed, might be too competitive to comfortably tank.