Lauri Markkanen Scores Career-High 51 Points in Jazz’s OT Win

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.

Per ESPN’s Stats & Information, the Jazz went 27 years and 203 days between 50-point games in the regular season, the fourth-longest span in NBA history.

Lauri Markkanen Becomes 97th NBA Player To Score 50 Points

In Utah’s 138-134 overtime win over the Phoenix Suns on Monday night, Markkanen scored a career-high 51 points on 14-of-32 (43.8%) shooting from the field, 6-for-13 (46.2%) from deep, and 17 made free throws.

What’s more, Markkanen hit two free throws with 1.9 seconds left in overtime to secure the victory. The 7-footer also added 14 rebounds and three assists in 45 minutes of action.

Not only did Markkanen become 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 3-pointers in a game.

CAREER NIGHT for @MarkkanenLauri.

🎵 51 PTS (career high)
🎵 14 REB
🎵 6 3PM
🎵 17-17 FTM
🎵 2 FTS to seal OT win

The first @utahjazz 50-piece since Karl Malone in 1998! pic.twitter.com/PA6iV5jeQG

— NBA (@NBA) October 28, 2025

“I never think about, I’m going to go for 50, but obviously, when it’s overtime, and you’re at 47 and they start fouling, you start think there’s a there’s a good chance that it’s going to happen,” said Markkanen.

The former first-rounder entered Monday’s game after opening the season with 20 points in a 129-108 home win against the Los Angeles Clippers and putting up 33 in a 105-104 road loss at Sacramento.

“He showed a tremendous amount 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, $195.86 million renegotiation and extension, 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 getting traded to Utah. The Finnish star was named the 2022-23 NBA 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 contest while shooting 42.3% from the field and 34.6% from 3-point territory.

He missed nearly half the season due primarily to a lower back injury.