The Utah Jazz record still sits below .500, but positive signs have been coming out for them throughout this season. Overcoming an early Ace Bailey injury on Friday night, the team had no problem dispatching of the #1 seeded Detroit Pistons at home.
Keyonte George delivered the game-winner, earning his third consecutive performance of at least 30 points. This was one of those wins where the team continued to scrap and claw their way until the final whistle, and it paid off.
George, as well as Lauri Markkanen, both topped the 30-point plateau. This marked the fourth time this year where both guys had 30+ in the same game, most in the NBA this year.
Utah is a team that folks need to be keeping their eyes on, as their duo is continuing to take the league by storm.
Keyonte George Looking Like a Star
For the first few seasons of his Jazz career, Keyonte George was a bit up and down. One day you would see him putting up a monster line, and then he’d come back to earth with a few slow performances in a row.
The third-year guard has raised his scoring average from 16 ppg a season ago, up to over 25 a night now. From 39% shooting up to over 45%, while also now dishing out nearly seven assists per night.
However much positive has befallen the Utah floor general this season, there really hasn’t been much negative to speak of. George has kept things exciting from day one.
All-Star nods are tough to come by and that opportunity may pass Keyonte by, but it’s very clear that he will be a member of the franchise for the years to come.
Alongside of George, the team still has Lauri Markkanen, having a big year in his own right. The Finnish forward has already been an All-Star as a member of this team, but might be having an even better season this time around, than he did in 2022-23.
After all, Markkanen had the first 50-point game for this franchise since Karl Malone earlier in the season.
The sharp duo is averaging better than 50 combined points per game, and while the defense still has a long way to go, the offense has been fully unlocked thanks to these two.
What’s Next for the Utah Jazz?
Winning a game against a team like the Detroit Pistons will certainly help put you in the headlines. The Jazz don’t have to wait long, as they now have to battle the 23-7 Spurs the very next night.
Kevin Love and Jusuf Nurkic could be moved, with the team opting to try and get a little younger. Wins over Detroit as the team picked up are huge for showing those around the league why it’s worth coming over.
Keyonte George and Lauri Markkanen are clearly the building blocks. Ace Bailey has shown a lot of growth throughout the season, and will hopefully heal quickly from injury, though hip strains can be pesky.
Playoffs are not the goal in Utah yet, but picking up signature wins can go a long way toward making their future blueprints a reality. Will Hardy has his team playing hard.
All they can ask for is effort, and a little improvement on defense. After that, this is going to be a team that is putting teams on notice every single night.
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