The Lauri Markkanen All-Star campaign keeps on rolling along. Many expected the Utah Jazz to crumble after they traded franchise cornerstones Donovan Mitchell and Rudy Gobert in the offseason. But crumble they haven't, and it's all thanks to the Finnisher, whom they acquired in the trade that sent Mitchell to the Cleveland Cavaliers.
Lauri Markkanen's All-Star level exploits were in full display once more during the Jazz' 131-114 win over the Houston Rockets on Thursday night. Having carte blanche against the league's third-worst defense, Markkanen went bonkers, scoring a career-high 49 points on 15-27 shooting from the field (6-15 from downtown) and a perfect 13-13 from the charity stripe.
And with Markkanen placing a distant seventh in the first fan returns for the 2023 All-Star voting, some fans couldn't help but feel like the Finnisher hasn't gotten the love he deserves following such a stellar campaign.
Lauri Markkanen Career-High of 49 Points! GET HIM IN THE ALL-STAR GAME ⭐️
— SportsALERTdaily (@sportalertdaily) January 6, 2023
lauri markkanen is an all-star https://t.co/S1OLRKVLnh
— Brian Gonzales (@briangonzaless) January 6, 2023
Lauri Markkanen is an All-Star!
— McKay Hussey (@bigmachussey) January 6, 2023
lauri markkanen is an all-star
— those words don’t do you justice (@_JEsposito_) January 6, 2023
Ohhh so close to that 50 piece!
That last shot had a chance
Lauri Markkanen is 100% an ALL-STAR
— Calvy J (@CJRealHoops1) January 6, 2023
With Lauri Markkanen's home of Salt Lake City set to host the 2023 All-Star festivities, it would for sure be a travesty if he doesn't make the cut. After all, his numbers are more than worthy of an All-Star nod. Following his torrid 49-point night, Markkanen is now averaging 24.5 points and 8.4 rebounds on an incredible 52.9 percent shooting from the field, 42 percent from deep, and 87.7 percent from the foul line.
Those are impressive numbers, especially for a guy whose game revolves around the perimeter so much. The Jazz may have known that they were getting a quality piece when they acquired him in the Donovan Mitchell trade, but even Jazz fans are surprised as to how well the 7'0 forward has played this season.
Here's my hot take:
The gap between Donovan MItchell's best year in a Jazz uniform and Lauri Markkanen's season this year is not nearly as big as it would seem.
— Ben Anderson (@BensHoops) January 6, 2023
Everyone who was saying Jazz lost the Donovan Mitchell trade is delusional. Jazz got 3 great young pieces: Markkanen; Sexton & Agbaji along with 3 first round picks. While Mitchell is gonna be OUT of Cleveland in 2 years.
— SKY WALKER (@WalkerKessler24) January 6, 2023
I know Donovan Mitchell is playing awesome for the Cavs, but that trade might be a rare win-win deal.
Markkanen is playing great for the Jazz. Sexton is going to be good for them. And they have all those picks.
Jazz did fine when trading a star and that's hard to pull off.
— Keith Smith (@KeithSmithNBA) January 6, 2023
Another 75% TS game for Markkanen, on serious volume too: nearly 33 TSAs
What a player! So excited and happy for him personally, and can’t wait to enjoy his prospectively long tenure with the Jazz 💯
— Adam Bushman (@adam_bushman) January 6, 2023
After such an incredible night, here's no telling just how high Lauri Markkanen can fly as he continues to be the focal point of the Jazz offense.