Markkanen's 51 Lifts Jazz Past Suns in OT

Lauri Markkanen scored a career-high 51 points with 14 rebounds, made all 17 free throws and hit six 3-pointers to lead the Utah Jazz to a 138-134 overtime win over the Phoenix Suns; Keyonte George had 26 points and 10 assists and Walker Kessler added 25 points and 11 rebounds. It was the Jazz’s first 50-point regular-season game since Karl Malone in 1998. The performance came a few nights after Markkanen’s 33-point outing in a 105-104 loss at Sacramento, which was decided when Domantas Sabonis grabbed an offensive rebound and scored with about 6.4 seconds remaining; Sabonis was fouled, missed the ensuing free throw, and Keyonte George’s buzzer attempt was an airball. Sacramento’s Zach LaVine scored 31 and Malik Monk added 20 off the bench in that Kings victory, and Utah’s late-game rebounding and execution drew criticism.