On fire in the last games, Lauri Markkanen continues his momentum with 49 points against the Rockets! New career record for the Finn, which allows the Jazz to end their losing streak.
For the detailed stat sheet of the match, it’s here.
Hard to know if Lauri Markkanen had read the details of the votes for the All-Star Game before the game but the Finn seemed well motivated to send a message to the fans tonight in Houston. In the lead for almost the entire match but heckled several times by the young Rockets, the Jazz waited for the money time to take shelter definitively, carried by a Lauri Markkanen who scored 15 of his 49 points (at 15/27 shooting and 6/13 from a distance) in the last minutes to tuck in Jalen Green and his buddies and wish them a good sleep. It’s quite simply a new career record for the Finn, who has been walking on water since the end of the year celebrations and who has allowed himself some pretty brilliant actions like this poster on the head of rookie Jabari Smith .
Lauri’s 10th 30-point game this season ????????#TakeNote pic.twitter.com/WiQFBlV4sh
— Utah Jazz (@utahjazz) January 6, 2023
Fun fact : since the beginning of the votes for the star game, Markkanen has averaged almost 33 points! If the first votes do not give the impression that the player will be able to nab a starting place (unless there is a big surprise), we can legitimately believe that the coaches will offer him a spot among the substitutes. The opportunity to get a first star in your career, validate the milestone reached this season and, moreover, play in front of an audience all committed to your cause since the All-Star Game 2023 will take place in… Salt Lake City this year. In any case, don’t count on him to put himself forward, the team above all.
???? @sportsiren with Lauri after his career night and he’s giving the credit to his guys.
“My teammates. That’s all it is.”#WalkoffInterview | @lhmauto pic.twitter.com/gkTi3WlXed
— Utah Jazz (@utahjazz) January 6, 2023
The Jazz forget their bad series by going to win in Houston thanks to a huge Lauri Markkanen. On the Rockets side, it’s already a sixth defeat in a row and it won’t calm down the rumors around a possible dismissal of Stephen Silas.