Markkanen scores 38 to lead Jazz past Pistons 126-111

DETROIT (AP) — Lauri Markkanen scored 38 factors, together with a career-high 9 3-pointers, and the Utah Jazz defeated the Detroit Pistons 126-111 on Tuesday night time.

Markkanen additionally matched his profession finest for factors, set Nov. 18 towards Phoenix.

“Clearly, Lauri had a tremendous sport for us,” Utah coach Will Hardy mentioned. “He actually pushed us into the lead.”

Jarred Vanderbilt added 18 factors and 13 rebounds for the Jazz, who outscored Detroit 65-51 within the second half. Utah had not less than 30 factors in all 4 quarters.

“We’ll rating, however we have now to take some delight in sitting down and guarding somebody,” Pistons coach Dwane Casey mentioned. “Should you do not play with that conviction towards Utah, they’ll hit these pictures on you.”

Jordan Clarkson scored 21 for the Jazz, and Malik Beasley led the second unit with 17 factors. Utah misplaced its earlier two video games by a median of 24.5 factors, together with a 122-99 defeat Monday in Cleveland.

“With this being the second of a back-to-back and our third sport in 4 nights, we wanted to get off to an excellent begin,” Hardy mentioned. “Detroit’s bench is so totally different than their starters that we actually needed to get forward of the curve. The rhythm adjustments as a result of their two lineups play such a distinct model.”

Jaden Ivey led Detroit with a season-best 30 factors. Pistons rookie Jalen Duren had 15 factors and 14 rebounds. He has not less than 11 rebounds in seven straight video games, matching Dwight Howard’s 1995 mark for the longest streak by a youngster.

“He brings a dominance on each ends,” Ivey mentioned of his fellow rookie. “He is dunking offensive rebounds, and defensively he is so lengthy and athletic that he can get deflections and blocks.”

Markkanen scored 19 factors within the first half whereas Ivey had 18.

Utah led by one at halftime, then outscored the Pistons 34-25 within the third quarter to take a 95-85 lead into the fourth. Markkanen had 9 factors within the third, hitting all three 3-point makes an attempt.

He added 5 extra factors within the first three minutes of the fourth, serving to Utah construct a 102-91 lead. The Jazz pulled away all through the interval, main by as many as 22.

TIP-INS

Jazz: Improved to 3-7 towards Jap Convention groups. … Markkanen made eight of his first 11 3-point tries.

“I believe that is the primary sport this season the place he is actually bombed away from 3,” Hardy mentioned. “However he nonetheless combined in just a few drives to the rim, in order that they could not promote out to protect the three.”

Pistons: Detroit’s starters, who’ve struggled in latest video games, have been outscored 94-71 regardless of Utah emptying its bench on the finish of the sport.

NO PERIMETER DEFENSE

The Pistons have been outscored 171-107 on pictures exterior the paint within the final three video games, together with 66-37 towards Utah.

“We all know they’re good 3-point shooters, however our vitality wasn’t there tonight,” Ivey mentioned. “We could not discover Markkanen and that opened issues up for everybody else.”

UP NEXT

Jazz: Host the Washington Wizards on Thursday.

Pistons: Go to the Philadelphia 76ers on Wednesday.

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