Mike Conley Steal Leads To Wide-Open Lauri Markkanen Dunk
Nov 15, 2022, 8:48 PM
Utah Jazz forward Lauri Markkanen (23) lands a big dunk over Houston Rockets guard Kevin Porter Jr. (3) during the game at Vivint Arena in Salt Lake City on Wednesday, Oct. 26, 2022. (Courtesy of Deseret News)
(Courtesy of Deseret News)
SALT LAKE CITY – Utah Jazz guard Mike Conley stole the ball from Knicks guard Jalen Brunson and led to a wide-open dunk by big man Lauri Markkanen.
Mike Conley stole the ball and saved it to Jordan Clarkson, who threw the ball down the floor to a running Lauri Markkanen, who dunked the ball with his right hand.
That gave the Jazz a 72-69 lead with 5:22 remaining in the third quarter. Markkanen was up to seven points, four rebounds, four assists, and one block on 3-of-9 shooting from the field and 0-of-3 from the three-point line.
Air Lauri, cleared for takeoff 🫡#TakeNote | @MarkkanenLauri pic.twitter.com/8coA7l0FdU
— Utah Jazz (@utahjazz) November 16, 2022
The Jazz suffered back-to-back losses for the first time this season falling on consecutive days over the weekend to the Washington Wizards and the Philadelphia 76ers.
New York meanwhile travels to Utah having lost six of their last nine games.
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The Jazz had two of their worst performances of the young season over the weekend dropping winnable games against the Wizards and 76ers.
Lauri Markkanen was largely unimpactful in the two outings despite averaging 16.0 points nad 7.5 rebounds. The Finnish forward had been putting up career numbers prior to the weekend’s double-header, but the Jazz were outscored by 28 points in Markkanen’s 66 minutes on the floor.
Several key Jazz players have struggled to shoot the ball during the mini-losing streak. Mike Conley connected on just 2-15 field goal attempts in the losses including 1-9 from the three-point line.
Rookie Walker Kessler has made just 2-7 from the floor in his last two outings, while Jordan Clarkson and Talen Horton-Tucker went a combined 18-50 for 36 percent.
After opening the season 10-3, the Jazz will need to find their stroke when they host the Knicks to get back to their winning ways.
The team will be without veteran Rudy Gay against the Knicks due to a left-hand sprain.
Prior to facing the Jazz, the Knicks reportedly held a players-only meeting in Utah in an effort to reverse their recent struggles.
The Knicks opened the season 3-1 before dropping six of their last nine.
The Jazz and Knicks is televised on AT&T SportsNet and can be heard on 97.5 The KSL Sports Zone. The game will also be streamed on DirecTV Stream and FuboTV.
