Lauri Markkanen is now the first Utah Jazz player to reach the 50-point mark in a single game since Karl Malone scored 56 points in a win over the Golden State Warriors on April 7, 1998.
According to ESPN’s Stats & Information, the Jazz went 27 years and 203 days between 50-point games in the regular season, the fourth-longest stretch in NBA history.
Lauri Markkanen becomes the 97th NBA player to score 50 points
In Utah’s 138-134 win over the Phoenix Suns on Monday night, Markkanen scored a career-high 51 points by shooting 14-of-32 (43.8%) from the field, 6-of-13 (46.2%) from deep, and making 17 free throws.
Additionally, Markkanen hit two free throws with 1.9 seconds left in overtime to secure the victory. The seven-footer also added 14 rebounds and three assists in 45 minutes of action.
Markkanen not only became the 97th player to score 50 points in NBA history, but he also became the first Jazz player to record at least 50 points, 10 rebounds and six three-pointers in a game.
CAREER NIGHT for @MarkkanenLauri.
🎵 51 PTS (career high)
🎵14 REB
🎵 6 p.m
🎵17-17 FTM
🎵 2 FTS to seal OT victoryThe first @utahjazz 50 pieces since Karl Malone in 1998! pic.twitter.com/PA6iV5jeQG
— NBA (@NBA) October 28, 2025
“I never think about it: I’m going for 50, but when it’s overtime and you’re at 47 and they start making mistakes, you start to think there’s a good chance it’s going to happen,” Markkanen said.
The former first-rounder entered Monday’s game having opened the season with 20 points in a 129-108 home win against the Los Angeles Clippers and scored 33 points in a 105-104 road loss in Sacramento.
“He showed a lot of heart. He was really physical tonight and made a lot of big baskets,” Jazz coach Will Hardy said of Markkanen.
Jazz extended Markkanen last year
The Jazz offered Markkanen a four-year renegotiation and extension worth $195.86 million, allowing him to sign the deal last August and making him ineligible to be traded before last season’s deadline.
Utah acquired Markkanen in the 2022 trade that sent All-Star guard Donovan Mitchell to the Cleveland Cavaliers. Markkanen was the No. 7 overall pick in the 2017 NBA draft out of the University of Arizona.
He spent his first four seasons with the Chicago Bulls and one with the Cavs before being traded to Utah. The Finnish star was named the NBA’s 2022-2023 Most Improved Player after averaging a career-high 25.6 points with the Jazz.
In 47 games (all starts) last season, Markkanen averaged 19 points, 5.9 rebounds, 1.5 assists and 31.4 minutes per game while shooting 42.3% from the field and 34.6% from three-point range.
He missed almost half the season, mainly due to a lower back injury.
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