The Utah Jazz fell short against the Chicago Bulls, 128-126, at United Center on Wednesday, with Nikola Vucevic sinking the game-winning basket.
The Jazz still had a chance to grab the victory, but Keyonte George missed his three-point attempt. They fell to 14-26.
The loss spoiled the strong performance of Brice Sensabaugh, who exploded for a career-high 43 points off the bench. He shot 15-of-22 from the field, including 5-of-10 from beyond the arc, and tallied five rebounds, two assists, and two steals.
He scored 21 points in the first quarter, joining Deron Williams as the only players in Jazz history to drop at least 20 markers in the opening period in the play-by-play area, according to the NBA.
21 1Q points for Brice Sensabaugh 😤
He joins Deron Williams (2/27/2010) as the only @utahjazz players to drop 20+ points in a 1Q in the play-by-play era!
Tap to watch: https://t.co/WIunZcQYw4 pic.twitter.com/8X7WzSAlIp
— NBA (@NBA) January 15, 2026
It was indeed a memorable evening for Sensabaugh, who has seen his minutes go up and down this season.
Being in the same company as Williams is something to be proud of, as the former star is one of the greatest Jazz players of all time. The shifty guard played for Utah from 2005 to 2011, becoming a two-time All-NBA Second Team member and three-time All-Star.
He teamed up with Carlos Boozer and Memo Okur to lead the team to multiple runs in the playoffs, including a stint in the conference finals in 2007.
The Jazz drafted the 22-year-old Sensabaugh as the 28th overall pick out of Ohio State in 2023. He has continually improved his game, averaging 10.9 points and 3.0 rebounds last season.
But with the arrival of Ace Bailey, he has gotten fewer opportunities, although he has been getting more playing time in recent weeks.
