Lauri Markkanen finished with 33 points and the Utah Jazz posted a record-setting first quarter in a 134-122 victory over the host Charlotte Hornets on Saturday night.
The Jazz racked up 47 points — the most in franchise history in an opening quarter — which was also the Hornets’ total at halftime.
Markkanen had 26 of his points in the first half and Collin Sexton racked up 19 of his 24 points before the break. John Collins finished with 20 points and Jordan Clarkson added 14 points.
Keyonte George posted 10 points, as did Walker Kessler, who eclipsed the 1,000-point mark for his career in the first half. That came in the reserve center’s 113th game.
Off the bench, P.J. Washington pumped in 43 points – matching a career high — on 17-for-22 shooting and Nick Richards scored a career-high 26 for the Hornets, who fell at home for the second straight night. Miles Bridges added 21 and Brandon Miller had 12 for Charlotte, which has dropped nine of its last 10 home games.
It was trending toward a lopsided game as the Jazz went up 65-35 before the midway mark of the second quarter. The score was 82-47 at halftime, with Utah connecting on 65.3 percent of its first-half shots. That included 13-for-22 on 3-pointers compared to Charlotte’s 4-for-15 mark.
Even the Hornets’ 41-point outburst in the third only closed the gap to 105-88.
Markkanen shot 12-for-18 from the field, setting a season high with seven 3-point baskets – one more than he had Thursday night at Washington.
The Jazz have won two straight road games following a three-game skid.
Markkanen and Sexton combined for 35 first-quarter points, while the Hornets scored 24 as a team. Markkanen had four of Utah’s nine 3-pointers in the opening quarter.
The Jazz cooled off a bit in the second quarter, scoring just nine points in the first four minutes.
–Field Level Media